With the arrest of the CEO of a New Jersey non-bank lender, the U.S. Department of Justice appears to have entered a new, more aggressive phase of its scrutiny of COVID-19 related aid and alleged fraud in the administration...more
With tax season upon us, taxpayers and tax professionals need to know how to avoid falling prey to fraudulent scams. In this episode of The Presumption of Innocence, Matthew Adams and Matthew Lee, Co-Chairs of Fox’s...more
The U.S. Department of Justice continues to seek long prison sentences for those convicted of COVID-19 related fraud. Recently, courts have agreed with prosecutors, and have issued increasingly lengthy prison terms to those...more
The U.S. Justice Department’s COVID-related health care fraud crackdown continues to intensify. On a single day in September 2021, the Justice Department announced criminal charges against 138 defendants in 31 federal...more
10/13/2021
/ CARES Act ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
DEA ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Diagnostic Tests ,
FBI ,
Fraud and Abuse ,
Health Care Providers ,
Healthcare Fraud ,
Medical Equipment ,
Nurses ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
Physicians ,
Provider Relief Fund ,
Telehealth ,
Telemedicine
The owner of a Florida jet company agreed August 26, 2021, to pay a large penalty for using government aid - which was directed to his business - on his own personal expenses.
The scheme came to light because of a...more
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has intensified its already aggressive crackdown on fraud related to COVID-19, recently announcing criminal charges against a telemedicine company executive, a physician, marketers and medical...more
6/8/2021
/ CARES Act ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
FBI ,
Fraud ,
Healthcare ,
OIG ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
Personally Identifiable Information ,
Popular ,
Provider Relief Fund ,
Telemedicine ,
Virus Testing
Intensifying its crackdown on suspected fraud in pandemic relief programs, the U.S. Department of Justice has established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force, sending a clear message that any individual or business that...more
6/2/2021
/ CARES Act ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Economic Injury Disaster Loans ,
False Claims Act (FCA) ,
Federal Agency Taskforce ,
FIRREA ,
Fraud ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
SBA ,
U.S. Treasury ,
Unemployment Insurance ,
Whistleblowers
The Justice Department continues to intensify its crackdown on COVID-19 relief program fraud, a clear indication that any individual or business that has benefited from the government aid should expect enhanced scrutiny from...more
The Justice Department has widened its crackdown on COVID-19 fraud, announcing the first criminal case alleging misuse of federal relief funds designated for medical providers. The egregious nature of the alleged fraud and...more
2/26/2021
/ CARES Act ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Criminal Prosecution ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Embezzlement ,
FBI ,
Fraud ,
Health Care Providers ,
Home Health Care ,
Investigations ,
Misuse or Misdirection of Funds ,
OIG ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
Provider Relief Fund
In recognition of the continuing economic hardship caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Internal Revenue Service is easing its collection activities to avoid the seizure of bank accounts containing either Economic Impact...more
The U.S. Justice Department announced its first civil settlement with a Paycheck Protection Program borrower alleged to have committed fraud in connection with this highly popular COVID-19 relief program. A bankruptcy online...more
This month’s court-ordered release of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan data is expected to result in intense scrutiny of the loan forgiveness process, highlighting the need for recipients to proceed with caution when...more
On October 14, 2020, FinCEN posted an incorrect message on its Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) E-Filing website. The message incorrectly stated there was a new filing extension until December 31, 2020, for all filers of Reports of...more
While the $525 billion Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), enacted as part of the CARES Act, has undoubtedly helped millions of deserving businesses survive the COVID-19 pandemic, it has also provided a unique opportunity for...more
The Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has announced that victims of the California Wildfires, the Iowa Derecho, Hurricane Laura, the Oregon Wildfires, and Hurricane Sally have until December...more
The Small Business Administration (SBA) has opened the portal for applications for forgiveness of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans established under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act)....more
Shortly after the Small Business Administration began accepting applications for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, two Rhode Island businessmen quickly applied for a combined $543,881 from the program. A few days...more
On March 25, 2020, following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the IRS unveiled its People First Initiative to provide wide-ranging compliance relief to taxpayers experiencing hardships relating to the health crisis. This...more
Following up our post earlier today that the Tax Court will resume receiving mail on July 10, 2020, the Tax Court has issued another announcement regarding its operations. Also beginning on July 10, the Clerk’s Office will...more
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, operations of the United States Tax Court have been severely impacted. The Tax Court’s building in Washington, D.C. has been closed since March 19, 2020, all trial sessions have been cancelled...more
With the uncertainty created by the global COVID-19 pandemic, it is hard to find anything like a sure bet. States are grappling with when to reopen, parents with school-aged children are awaiting news of when and if their...more
5/26/2020
/ Business Closures ,
CARES Act ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
DPA ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Investigations ,
Main Street Lending Programs ,
Pandemic ,
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) ,
SBA ,
TARP ,
U.S. Treasury
The Internal Revenue Service’s Large Business & International Division has announced another compliance campaign, its 64th such campaign since the first set of campaigns was unveiled in 2017. This latest campaign will focus...more
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the IRS has granted foreign financial institutions a number of extensions on Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act reporting obligations due in 2020...more
The Internal Revenue Service has published two Frequently Asked Questions about how taxpayers can seek release of tax levies and federal tax liens due to hardship circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The FAQs can...more
The COVID-19 pandemic and the President’s declaration of a national emergency have upended the Internal Revenue Service’s enforcement agenda in a dramatic way, both in the short term and for the feasible future. Already...more