False Claims Act Attorneys in Boston, Massachusetts

Greene LLP - False Claims Act

One Liberty Square, Suite 1200
Boston, Massachusetts 02109
USA

(855) 809-9119

falseclaimsactattorney.com

Contact Tom Greene

Law Firm Overview

Greene, LLP is a proven national leader in False Claims Act case litigation. Our attorneys have 30 years of experience handling whistleblower Blower cases. The firm has successfully handled some of the largest Qui Tam actions in U.S.

history involving Defense Industry Fraud, Pharmaceutical Fraud, Healthcare Fraud, and Medicare Fraud.

In 1993, our managing partner Thomas M. Greene resolved a defense industry case involving defective satellite phones sold to the United States for use by soldiers in Desert Storm. Our firm has the ability to take on giant government agencies or to represent the small business entity. The experience we have gained throughout the years allows us to properly support you in these trying times.

Among the many cases our firm has been recognized for is the seminal lawsuit against Parke-Davis and Pfizer. They are the manufacturers of an epilepsy drug Neurontin, and Greene LLP attorneys were the first to successfully argue that off-label promotion of prescription drugs was fraud that could result in liability under the False Claims Act — leading to a settlement of $152 million in civil penalties and $430 in combined penalties and criminal fines.

Year this Office was Established: 1980

Languages: English, Spanish.

Areas of Law

Whistleblower

Additional Areas of Law: Pharmaceutical Fraud; Healthcare Fraud; Defense Contracting Fraud; Financial Fraud; Insured Loan Programs; Underpayment of Liabilities to Government; Government Contracting Fraud; Agricultural Subsidies; Disaster Relief; Research Grants; Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program; Off-Label Marketing; Kickbacks; Medicaid Price Reporting; 340B Drug Program; Pharmaceutical Benefits Managers; Unapproved Drugs; Cost Reports; Lack of Medical Necessity; NIH Research Grants; Services no Rendered; Upcoding and Unbundling; Stark Law; Cross Charging; Product Substitution; Federal Crisis Programs; Municipal Bonds; Small Business Administration; Federal Housing Authority; Failure to Escheat; Failure to Pay Royalties.

Areas of Law Description

Our firm's practice areas include:

- False Claims Act and Whistleblower Cases

Under the False Claims Act, individuals who have knowledge of fraud on the United States or state governments can sue on behalf of the government in qui tam cases. Whistleblowers that pursue such claims are awarded a percentage of monies recovered by the government – up to 30% in some circumstances.

Types of Fraud:

• Pharmaceutical Fraud

The FCA is increasingly targeting pharmaceutical fraud, as recent FCA cases have recovered billions of dollars from large pharmaceutical companies. The most common types of pharmaceutical fraud are in the following areas: off-label marketing, illegal kickbacks, Medicaid price reporting, 340B drug program, pharmaceutical benefit managers, and unapproved drugs.

• Healthcare Fraud

The healthcare field has become a principal target for FCA cases recently, and with the passage of a comprehensive new healthcare law in 2010, this trend is likely to continue. Healthcare fraud primarily consists of Medicare and Medicaid fraud. Healthcare providers have been accused of defrauding the government by inducing improperly high reimbursement of Medicare and Medicaid costs through complex billing structures. Other forms of healthcare fraud include violations of the Stark Law, and National Institute of Health (NIH)-sponsored research grant fraud.

• Defense Contracting Fraud

Defense contracting fraud initially prompted Congress to pass the FCA during the Civil War. While much has since changed in the area of defense contracting, fraud still remains a major problem. Currently engaged in two wars, the U.S. has many weapons and construction contracts- an area of government spending highly prone to fraud. Types of fraud in this area include the substitution of inferior or otherwise prohibited products, as well as billing schemes that overcharge the government.

• Non-Defense Contracting Fraud

In addition to national defense spending, the federal government also spends billions of dollars per year on contracts with non-defense related companies that are subject to fraud. Non-defense contract fraud includes false statements made in connection with a Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contract with the General Service Administration (GSA), public works construction contracts, contracts with the Department of Energy (DOE), and environmental cleanup contracts.

• Financial Fraud

A recent area of activity falling under the FCA concerns fraud within the financial industry. The 2009 amendments to the False Claims Act, passed within the Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act (“FERA”), were aimed at fraud resulting from federal bailout programs such as TARP, as well as fraud in the finance and mortgage industries. Increased government spending, and a recent legislative expansion of FCA liability, will undoubtedly generate increased financial fraud recoveries.

• Insured Loan Programs

The U.S. government will guarantee, or insure, small business start-up contracts and certain mortgages. However, these loan insurance programs mandate that the borrower meet certain requirements in order to participate in the program. False statements made to either the Small Business Administration or the Federal Housing Authority to obtain these loans may violate the FCA.

• Miscellaneous Government Programs

While the government funds countless programs, certain programs have historically been the subject of fraud and whistleblower lawsuits more than others. These programs include agricultural subsidies, disaster relief, and research grants given to persons in a wide array of fields including healthcare, weapons, and energy technology.

• Underpayment of Liabilities to Government

Parties that contract with federal or state governments and fail to make necessary payments to the government may violate state or federal false claims acts. Thus, companies that fail to turn over unclaimed property (escheat) may violate the FCA; including many companies that fail to pay royalties for extracting natural resources from federal or state owned lands.