Variety

Published on: June 26, 2020

Three Individuals Charged in New Jersey for Alleged Involvement in $6 Million Health Care Fraud Conspiracy

Three individuals were indicted in New Jersey on Thursday for their alleged involvement in a $6 million prescription fraud scheme that targeted state healthcare plans in South Jersey.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey announced a 33-count indictment against Dr. Brian Sokalsky, 42, of Margate; Vincent Tornari, 46, of Linwood; and Ashley Lyons-Valenti, 63, of Swedesboro, for their role in conspiracy schemes to receive kickback payments for medically unnecessary compounded medications. It is unclear if they have acquired legal representation.

Published on: June 25, 2020

Bay County Commissioner Arrested in Lynn Haven, FL, on Workers’ Comp Fraud, Misconduct Charges

by Brian Silber

Authorities in Panama City, FL, arrested three people accused of committing workers’ compensation fraud on Tuesday. There is a pending arrest warrant for a fourth individual, sources indicate.

One of the individuals arrested was Bay County Commissioner Keith Baker, who is the owner of Tri-State Climate Solutions LLC. Baker faces charges of workers’ compensation fraud, bid tampering, and official misconduct. He was booked into Bay County Jail. Attorney information wasn’t available at the time of writing.

Published on: June 16, 2020

Feds Charge Former San Francisco Building Commissioner with Bank Fraud

by Brian Silber

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California has announced charges against a former building commissioner and building contractor for his alleged involvement in a scheme to steal funds meant for the San Francisco Department of Building Inspection (DBI).

Rodrigo Santos of San Francisco was charged with bank fraud. He was released on $100,000 bond. It is unclear if he has acquired the services of an attorney.

Published on: June 12, 2020

Three Tampa Bay-Area Men Charged in Conspiracy to Defraud U.S. Department of Agriculture

by Brian Silber

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida has announced charges against three Tampa Bay-area men accused of conspiring to defraud the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and making false statements regarding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Ghasan Awad of Safety Harbor, Bassam Al Saleh of Tampa, and Ahmad Al Saleh of Tampa are charged with conspiracy to defraud USDA and making false statements to the USDA regarding SNAP. Awad also faces charges of wire fraud and obtaining SNAP benefits in violation of federal statutes. The Al Salehs each face three counts of making certain false statements to the USDA. It is unclear if any of the three has acquired legal representation.

Published on: June 11, 2020

California’s New Presumption for COVID-19 Diagnosis Could Seriously Impact Workers’ Compensation

by Brian Silber

As businesses across the U.S. continue to deal with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, a lot of employers have begun wondering what kind of liability they might face from claims that employees contracted the coronavirus at work. What would an infection mean for workers’ compensation law? California Gov. Newsom provided an answer to that question for employers in his state with the recent signing of an executive order that provides new presumption for COVID-19 diagnosis.

According to Executive Order N-62-20, a worker’s coronavirus-related illness will be presumed to arise out of and in the course of employment for purposes of awarding workers’ compensation benefits. An employee can make a claim as long as they test positive for the coronavirus within 14 days of performing “labor of services” at their workplace. The presumption doesn’t apply if the employee worked from home.