Laboratory, Owners, and Investors Settle COVID-19 Testing Fraud Allegations for $24 Million

On July 23, 2026, the Department of Justice announced that clinical lab Magnolia Diagnostics and its owners agreed to pay $19.2 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by billing Medicare for medically unnecessary respiratory pathogen panel (“RPP”) testing performed in connection with COVID-19 testing at senior living communities. Notably, Magnolia’s investors separately agreed to pay an additional $4.8 million to resolve alleged common law claims for unjust enrichment and payment by mistake and claims under the Federal Debt Collection Procedures Act arising from distributions they received from the laboratory. Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate emphasized that the Department will seek to hold accountable not only entities that submit false claims, but also individuals and investors who allegedly benefit from fraudulent conduct, which is consistent with previous statements of DOJ’s enforcement priorities and resolutions, as we covered here and here.

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DOJ Releases FOCUS Questionnaire to Assist in Evaluating Qui Tams Filed by Data Miners

As we previously reported here, the Department of Justice has launched its Fraud Oversight through Careful Use of Statistics (“FOCUS”) initiative. The initiative gives data miners an opportunity to meet with the Civil Fraud Section to “explain what differentiates their approach, how they validate their findings, and why their methodology provides a reliable basis for identifying high-quality, actionable False Claims Act matters.” (more…)

June DOJ/SBA FCA Settlement Highlights Continued Focus on Contractor Compliance

On June 9, 2026, DOJ announced a settlement with Broadway Electric Inc. (“Broadway”); its subsidiary, Cornerstone Contracting Inc. (“Cornerstone”); and two of their individual executives, for $21.3 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations. The settlement targeted alleged fraud against the Small Business Administration’s (“SBA”) set-aside contract program for service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses (“SDVOSBs”). The settlement suggests that the government is surging resources to both anti-fraud issues generally, and to alleged SBA fraud in particular. (more…)

Texas Supreme Court Imposes Materiality Requirement on Texas Healthcare Fraud Omissions Claims

In a significant decision for healthcare providers, the Texas Supreme Court reversed a court of appeals decision that had revived claims against a laboratory testing company and reinstated summary judgment for the defendant. The Court held that the Texas Health Care Program Fraud Prevention Act’s (the “Act”) omissions provision requires proof of materiality, even though the provision does not expressly use the word “material.” (more…)

Texas AG Secures Nearly $34 Million Settlement with Pharmaceutical Company, Reinforcing Active Ongoing THFPA Enforcement

The Texas Attorney General (“Texas AG”) recently announced a settlement with AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP (“AstraZeneca”) for $33,998,000 to resolve allegations under the Texas Health Care Program Fraud Prevention Act (“THFPA”) arising from the company’s nurse educator program and nurse and patient support programs. See State ex rel. SCEF, LLC v. AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP, No. D-1-GN-25-011002 (250th Dist. Ct., Travis County, transferred Dec. 18, 2025). This settlement is the latest in a series of actions by the Texas AG that demonstrate the office’s focus on large healthcare corporations and aggressive deployment of the THFPA, as discussed here. (more…)

HHS-OIG Decertifies New York Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Escalating Federal Scrutiny of State Medicaid Fraud Enforcement

The Administration has taken another significant step in its effort to increase pressure on state Medicaid Fraud Control Units (“MFCUs”). On July 2, 2026, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York announced the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”) denied recertification of New York’s MFCU and suspended its federal funding effective July 1. The decision follows the Administration’s announcements earlier this year that it would closely scrutinize state MFCU performance, including through funding consequences for states perceived as failing to aggressively investigate and prosecute Medicaid fraud, which we previously covered here. (more…)

In House Hearing, DAAG Jenny Discusses FCA Enforcement Priorities Related to Grants, Faces Questioning on Using FCA to Target Discrimination

On June 24, 2026, the Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a hearing on “Federal Research Funds: The False Claims Act’s Role in Combating Grant Fraud.”  Brenna Jenny, DOJ’s Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Commercial Litigation, testified on three FCA enforcement “focus areas” related to federal grants, before responding to questions regarding the use of the statute to target discrimination.

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DOJ Reaches $507,144 Settlement with Defense Contractor, Signals Increased FCA Scrutiny of Cybersecurity Self-Assessments

On June 18, 2026, DOJ announced a settlement with LOGZONE Inc., a defense contractor, to pay $507,144 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act through its failure to satisfy cybersecurity requirements in its contracts with the Department of the Navy (“the Navy”). This settlement involves yet another coordinated enforcement effort through the recently created Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, previously reported on here and here. DOJ reached this settlement with assistance from the Department of the Navy, the Department of the Army, and the Defense Contract Management Agency (“DCMA”). This settlement underscores cybersecurity compliance as a focus of FCA enforcement.

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