The Supreme Court denied the cert petition in Nathan v. Takeda today. The petition questioned the Court of Appeals decision with regard to the Rule 9(b) heightened pleading requirement for fraud.
False Claims Act Against Bankrupt Companies – WSJ:Judge Gives $2.3 Billion Hawker Whistleblower Suit New Life
Whistleblowers can pursue their False Claims Act lawsuit against Hawker Beechcraft despite its bankruptcy, according to a ruling in federal court in New York. The whistleblowers alleged that the U.S. Navy and Air Force purchased more than 300 aircraft with defective parts from the company. They argued that the lawsuit was an intentional fraud and a debt to a domestic government unit that should not have been discharged. Last year, a bankruptcy judge ruled that liability from the lawsuit was extinguished by the Chapter 11 bankruptcy plan. Beechcraft was purchased by Textron following bankruptcy.
Currency Manipulation – Bloomberg: Swiss Antitrust Regulator Probes Eight Banks Over Alleged FX-Rigging
The Swiss Competition Commission, known as Weko, says it is investigating foreign exchange rate manipulation at UBS, Credit Suisse, JPMorgan Chase, Citibank, Barclays and a few other banks. At least a dozen regulators are now investigating collusion in currency trading.
Securities Fraud – CNBC: Years later, SEC fraud trial over Texas tycoons to start:
The Securities and Exchange Commission will start jury selection in New York today for the $550 million fraud trial of Samuel Wyly and the estate of his late brother, Charles Wyly. They are accused of committing securities fraud and insider trading. The SEC started investigating the Wyly brothers in 2005.
Medicaid Fraud – New York Times: Settlement in Medicaid Fraud Case Worries Health Providers
A New York Times article expresses concern that increased enforcement efforts against Medicaid providers might cause more doctors and medical practices to stop accepting Medicaid patients. The article cites a recent enforcement action against Carousel Pediatrics by the Office of Inspector General in the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. The percentage of physicians in Texas accepting Medicaid have declined substantially in the past ten years because of Medicaid rate cuts.
IRS Whistleblower Program – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Telling for Dollars: Tipsters get few payments in IRS program
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported on the lack of rewards coming out of the IRS Whistleblower program. There have only been 38 recoveries from the 33,000 whistleblower tips the IRS received in the past five years. The IRS paid out $50 million in Fiscal Year 2013 according to the head of the IRS Whistleblower Office, although the majority of the payout went one whistleblower receiving a $38 million dollar award.