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iStock-1093288618-300x188Three Adobe employees filed False Claims Act lawsuits exposing the scheme and will share a $555K whistleblower reward.

Adobe Inc. (NASDAQ: ADBE) has agreed to pay $3 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by paying illegal kickbacks to software-reseller partners in return for their promotion of the company’s products to government customers.

The U.S. government was fraudulently tricked into purchasing unnecessary software licenses, the U.S. Department of Justice alleged. It was also allegedly deceived into purchasing software bundles containing applications it never requested, and fraudulently billed for software licenses for the personal use of government employees on their home computers.

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iStock-1341381732-300x200In separate lawsuits, the government alleged that two for-profit education companies defrauded a tuition assistance program for military veterans.

Two for-profit educational organizations will pay a combined $9.5 million for defrauding the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ Post-9/11 GI Bill program in violation of the False Claims Act.

A federal court in Waco, Texas, awarded the government a $9 million judgment against ELPSS Career Institute LLC of Texas and its director Ricky J. Daniels Jr, after finding that  they submitted false certifications regarding the school’s eligibility to receive funds from the VA program, which provides tuition assistance for veterans and service members.

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iStock-1316693815-300x200A medical device sales representative who filed the False Claims Act lawsuit received a $1.37 million whistleblower award.

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) orthopedics and neurosurgery medical device unit DePuy Synthes has agreed to pay $9.75 million to resolve allegations it violated the False Claims Act by providing illegal kickbacks to an orthopedic surgeon as an incentive for using its products.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the company gave more than $100,000 worth of spinal surgery devices and tools to the Massachusetts doctor, which he  used in surgeries on private patients overseas between July 2013 and February 2018.

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iStock-535434995-1-300x300A postdoctoral research staff member discovered the fraud and filed a whistleblower lawsuit under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act.

New York City public university Hunter College and the former director of its HIV studies center have agreed to pay a combined $575,000 to settle allegations they violated the False Claims Act by knowingly misusing National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant funding while falsely certifying their compliance with federal requirements.

The case, initiated by a qui tam whistleblower, alleged that former Hunter psychology professor Jeffrey Parsons-Hietikko improperly diverted tens of thousands of dollars in NIH grant funds to pay for personal expenses and to compensate HIV studies center staff for unrelated projects.

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Samsung C&T America allegedly declared incorrect HTS tariff classifications on its customs entry documents.

A U.S. unit of the SouiStock-1097810654-300x119th Korean conglomerate Samsung (KSE: KRX:028260.KS) has agreed to pay $1 million to settle allegations it violated the False Claims Act by knowingly misclassifying imports to evade customs duties.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Samsung C&T America knowingly filed customs entry documents misdescribing and listing inaccurate U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule classification codes for footwear it imported from China and Vietnam.

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iStock-1350595566-300x174The technology firm was found to have knowingly included false pricing, rebate, and discount information in disclosures to become a GSA Schedule contractor.

NortonLifeLock (Nasdaq: GEN) has been ordered by a federal court to pay $1.7 million in damages for defrauding the U.S. General Services Administration and the State of California in connection with contracts to provide government agencies with technology services and equipment.

A federal judge found following a bench trial that the company, which is now known as Gen Digital, Inc., violated the False Claims Act by knowingly submitting incorrect commercial sales information to the GSA, which is the federal government’s contracting and procurement agency.

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iStock-1339057752-300x200International Vitamin Corp. allegedly violated the False Claims Act by misclassifying imports from China as “duty free.”

International Vitamin Corp., a producer of store-brand vitamins and supplements, has agreed to pay $22.8 million to resolve allegations it violated the False Claims Act by knowingly evading customs duties on imports from China.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, IVC misclassified imports of raw ingredients and bulk vitamins as duty free when, in fact, those goods were subject to substantial customs duties.

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iStock-1136317631-1-300x200The hiring of the subcontractors by Vescent Photonics allegedly violated conditions on the use of Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant funding.

Laser manufacturer and military contractor Vescent Photonics Inc. has agreed with the U.S. Department of Justice to pay $400,000 to resolve allegations it violated the False Claims Act by improperly employing foreign subcontractors on research projects funded by U.S. government grants.

SBIR program grants
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iStock-1224725343-300x168High Life LLC allegedly reported phony “first sale” prices on import declarations filed with CBP.

New York apparel wholesaler High Life LLC has paid the U.S. government $1.3 million to resolve allegations it violated the False Claims Act by underdeclaring the value of its imports.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, High Life knowingly reported fictitious “first sale” prices on customs entry documents filed with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, thereby fraudulently reducing the company’s import duties.

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iStock-1173091700-300x200The fraud was discovered by a medical office manager who filed a whistleblower lawsuit under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act.

A Georgia ophthalmologist has agreed to pay $1.85 million to settle allegations she violated the False Claims Act by fraudulently billing Medicare for medically unnecessary cataract surgeries and diagnostic tests as well as medical procedures she never performed.

The fraud was exposed by a former medical practice office manager who filed a whistleblower complaint under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act. She will receive a whistleblower award of 15-30% of the settlement proceeds.

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