Features

An Ounce of Prevention: Preparing for CARES Act Fraud Investigations
The government appears to be fulfilling its commitment to rooting out PPP fraud, even when the amount at issue falls below the $2 million threshold. No matter the size of the loan, a company that obtained PPP funds is not immune from a possible government investigation or audit. Borrowers have already started to submit loan forgiveness applications, and many more will be submitted in the weeks ahead, and both lenders and the government will be scouring these submissions for red flags.
Features

Cybersecurity False Claims Act Cases: The Next Frontier
A new wave of False Claims Act cases is crashing ashore. Based on the federal government's inclusion of toughened cybersecurity requirements for government contractors, numerous FCA cases will undoubtedly be filed and litigated in coming years against prime contractors and their major subcontractors for allegedly failing to comply with their contractual cybersecurity obligations.
Features

The Yates Memo is Here to Stay: Signs of Increasing Efforts to Hold Individuals Criminally Liable for Corporate Wrongdoing
It is axiomatic that companies cannot do wrong without the actions of individuals. However, the trend over the past few decades, with a few exceptions, has been that individuals generally were not prosecuted for their roles in corporate wrongdoing that harmed the public welfare. However, there appears to be a recent escalation in prosecutions of corporate executives.
Features

Will the EU-Japan Data Transfer Partnership Agreement Have Global Influence?
With countries around the world examining and strengthening their data protection laws, this agreement could be the first of many and will undoubtedly have global repercussions.
Features

"Spoofing" as Fraud: A Novel and Untested Theory of Prosecution
The DOJ has signaled its intent to pursue prosecutions for spoofing — which the law defines as "bidding or offering with the intent to cancel the bid or offer before execution" — aggressively. This article begins with a brief discussion of the elements that the government must prove to establish commodities fraud and wire fraud. It then examines recent spoofing prosecutions that raise important questions about the applicability of the traditional fraud statutes to spoofing-related activity. How the federal courts answer these open questions will have significant implications for participants in the commodities markets.
Features

FCA Cases: Convincing DOJ to Move to Dismiss
Recent actions by the DOJ suggest that although the DOJ may continue to prosecute certain relators' FCA cases, other relators may find themselves on the other side of a government motion to dismiss.
Features

Elections: The Hidden Security Danger for Governments
The news is replete with alleged actions of foreign governments and hackers trying to impact the democratic election process in the United States. It is incumbent upon the state and local governments to ensure the security of all elections.
Features

Cybersecurity for Government: Lessons from the Front Line
During the time it takes you to read this article, somewhere in the United States, a governmental entity will probably be the victim of a cyber-attack. This article highlights the areas that are most impactful, based on experience in dealing with both large and small cyber-attacks against governments and governmental entities.
Features

Are Allegations of Lack of Medical Necessity in False Claims Act Cases a Basis for Settlement or Trial?
<b><i>Lessons Learned from Recent Settlements and Decisions</b></i><p>Health care fraud and False Claims Act cases continue to generate a significant source of funds for the Federal Government.Although, when announcing its focus, the government listed treatment options are not always clear. What these settlements often have in common is that the underlying complaints allege that the services that were rendered and reimbursed lacked medical necessity.
Features

Defusing the UST Tax Bomb
<b><i>How Lenders and Debtors can Minimize UST Fees and Maximize Creditor Recoveries</b></i><p>As predicted in the first part of this article (May, 2018), the new United States Trustee (UST) fee has had a disproportionate effect on middle-market, high-velocity cash flow companies. The best solution is for Congress to revisit the fee structure and refine it to reflect the realities of particular cases and the actual burden on the UST.
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