Physician Partners of America to Pay $24.5 Million to Settle Allegations of Unnecessary Testing, Improper Remuneration to Physicians and a False Statement in Connection with COVID-19 Relief Funds

DOJ

Physician Partners of America LLC (PPOA), headquartered in Tampa, Florida, its founder, Rodolfo Gari, and its former chief medical officer, Dr. Abraham Rivera, have agreed to pay $24.5 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by billing federal healthcare programs for unnecessary medical testing and services, paying unlawful remuneration to its physician employees and making a false statement in connection with a loan obtained through the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Certain PPOA affiliated entities are jointly and severally liable for the settlement amount, including the Florida Pain Relief Group, the Texas Pain Relief Group, Physician Partners of America CRNA Holdings LLC, Medical Tox Labs LLC and Medical DNA Labs LLC. read more »

Ex-Goldman Banker Convicted in Case Over the Looting of Billions From a Malaysian Fund

NEW YORK TIMES

A former Goldman Sachs banker was convicted Friday on bribery and money laundering charges stemming from one of the biggest global kleptocracy cases in history: the multibillion-dollar looting of a Malaysian sovereign wealth fund. read more »

United States Files Suit Against Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare And Methodist Healthcare-Memphis Hospitals

DOJ

The United States today filed a complaint in intervention alleging violations of the False Claims Act (FCA) and the Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS) by Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare (MLH) and Methodist Healthcare Memphis Hospitals (collectively, Methodist), for paying unlawful kickbacks to West Clinic, P.C.  (West) in exchange for West’s patient referrals, announced U.S. Attorney Mark H. Wildasin for the Middle District of Tennessee. read more »