Land use and zoning in Georgia refer to the legal framework through which local governments guide the development and use of land, determining the locations for residential, commercial, and industrial activities and ensuring growth aligns with community standards and policies. Through zoning ordinances, permitting processes, and public input, cities and counties balance the interests of […]
Read MoreOn December 4, 2020, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the creation of the False Claims Act Working Group (FCA Working Group). The federal False Claims Act (FCA) has remained one of the federal government’s top tools to investigate and punish alleged fraud, waste, and abuse in federal programs. In fiscal […]
Read MoreOn May 4, 2022, United States Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. announced the U.S. Department of Justice’s 2022 Opioid Enforcement Action, highlighting the department’s efforts. While enforcement actions related to COVID-19 and HIPAA breaches have received significant attention, the opioid epidemic continues. Mr. Polite noted that in the last year alone, over 75,000 […]
Read MoreSince the CARES Act was enacted, Chilivis Grubman has reported on government efforts to curtail fraud related to COVID-19 relief funds provided by the CARES Act. Between 2020 and the early parts of 2021, the government frequently reported on its investigations related to COVID-19 relief fund fraud. In mid-to-late 2021, the government reported indictments and […]
Read MoreOn June 2, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) announced its second settlement for alleged False Claims Act (“FCA”) violations by a rehabilitation provider servicing skilled nursing facilities. The FCA prohibits any person from knowingly presenting or causing to be presented, a false or fraudulent claim for payment to the federal government. The FCA […]
Read MoreIn 2019, the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) announced “Operation Brace Yourself,” which resulted in charges against 24 criminal defendants and adverse administrative actions against 130 DME companies. Operation Brace Yourself was a nationwide scheme related to the dispensing of orthotic braces using telehealth companies and providers that resulted in an estimated $1.5 billion in […]
Read MoreIn April 2020, CG attorneys wrote about the increased risk of government scrutiny for recipients of the CARES Act Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which initially provided over $349 billion in forgivable PPP loans to small businesses. As Congress authorized hundreds of billions in additional funds, recipient compliance and the government’s enforcement efforts have come to […]
Read MoreThe U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia issued a permanent injunction barring Matthew Ryncarz and his companies, Fusion Health and Vitality LLC (d/b/a Pharm Origins) and Fusion Ionz LLC (also d/b/a Pharm Origins), from selling unapproved drugs. The unapproved drugs were marketed as treatments for COVID-19, according to a U.S. Department of […]
Read MoreOn Thursday, December 10, 2020, the Department of Justice issued a press release regarding the sentencing of a Texas clinic owner and employee to 20 years and 8 years in prison, respectively, for their roles in a pill mill scheme. The clinic owner, Baker Niazi, pled guilty in April 2018 to conspiracy to unlawfully distribute […]
Read MoreOn September 30, 2020, the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) issued a press release regarding a nationwide enforcement action involving 345 defendants allegedly responsible for submitting more than $6 billion in fraudulent healthcare claims. According to the DOJ, the enforcement action is the largest healthcare fraud and opioid enforcement action or “takedown” in the department’s […]
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