Major Change at the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Division – Consequences for False Claims Act Enforcement in the Second Trump Administration
This past week saw a major change of the guard at the U.S. Department of Justice – one that may have significant impacts for the Civil Division’s use of the […]
DOJ Launches Initiative Leveraging the False Claims Act to Target DEI Programs
In a May 19, 2025 memorandum, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the Civil Rights Fraud Initiative, which aims to use the False Claims Act (FCA) to investigate and “pursue claims against any recipient of federal funds that knowingly violates federal civil rights laws” via “racist preferences, mandates, . . . and activities”—including diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs.
Federal Judge Pauses Enforcement of DEI Executive Orders, But False Claims Act Risk Remains
On Friday, February 21, a federal district judge in Maryland issued a nationwide preliminary injunction prohibiting the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and defendant federal agencies from enforcing portions of […]
Federal Agencies Can Now Directly Pursue FCA Cases Up to $1M
Embedded in the FY 2025 National Defense Authorization Act, signed into law on December 23, 2024, is a provision that could significantly impact agency enforcement activity: the Administrative False Claims […]
Massachusetts Law Imposes FCA Liability on Healthcare Investors For Failures to Disclose
Massachusetts recently signed into law House Bill 5159, which includes a strict new rule for investors in Massachusetts health care companies, requiring them to timely disclose FCA violations of their […]
Court Dismisses Commercial Insurer’s Claims Premised on Conduct Covered by FCA Settlements
It is becoming increasingly common for private litigants to sue over conduct that was previously the subject of FCA actions. In one such recent case, the defendants successfully defeated such […]
Sixth Circuit Affirms Orders Compelling Relator to Seek Government Consent to Dismiss Qui Tam Pursuant to Settlement Agreement
The Sixth Circuit recently confirmed that there is no per se bar on relators releasing previously filed FCA claims as part of a settlement agreement, although the government must still […]
When the Best Defense May Be a Good Offense: False Claims Act Counterclaims
A recent opinion from the Northern District of Georgia reminds False Claims Act defendants about a potentially powerful tool at their disposal—counterclaims. In United States ex rel. Cooley v. ERMI, […]
Ninth Circuit Panel Subtly Back-Pedals Prior Ruling on the Application of the Public Disclosure Bar in the False Claims Act Context
We previously wrote here regarding the Ninth Circuit’s decision in United States ex rel. Silbersher v. Valeant Pharmaceuticals Int’l Inc., 76 F.4th 843 (9th Cir. Aug. 3, 2023) (Valeant). Earlier […]
DOJ Begins Memorializing Basis for Cooperation Credit in FCA Settlement Agreements
Recently, DOJ quietly began implementing what appears to be a new policy to memorialize in FCA settlements the basis for the settling company earning credit for various forms of cooperation.