Resolve - Shore News Network

North Carolina Home Health Care Agency And Owner Agree To Pay $600,000 To Resolve False Claims Act Allegations

Indira PatelMarch 13, 20240

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Family First Home Health Care, Inc. (Family First), a home health care agency located in Gastonia, N.C. (now d/b/a Gaston Piedmont Health Care Inc.), and its owner Marion James (James) have agreed to collectively pay $600,000 to resolve allegations that they knowingly violated the Federal and North Carolina False Claims Acts from January 1, 2015, through January 9, 2020, by submitting thousands of fraudulent claims to Medicaid for reimbursement, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Specifically, the United States and State of North Carolina (together, the Governments) alleged that Family

Company Selling Migraine Treatment Device Agrees to Resolve Alleged False Claims Act Violations

Indira PatelDecember 11, 20230

FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill. – Utah-based Dolor Technologies, LLC (“Dolor) has entered into a settlement agreement with the United States to resolve Dolor’s civil liability relating to a device it sold and marketed to treat migraines, the Department of Justice announced Monday. This resolution requires Dolor to make monetary payments to the U.S. based upon its ability to pay. The government alleges that, between July 2013 through July 2017, Dolor violated the False Claims Act (FCA) by causing medical providers to submit false claims to the Medicare Program for procedures using a device called the SphenoCath. The SphenoCath was intended to

Justice Department Secures Agreement with Chattanooga, Tennessee, to Resolve Disability-Based Discrimination Lawsuit

Indira PatelDecember 11, 20230

The Justice Department announced today that the city of Chattanooga, Tennessee, has agreed to pay $32,600 to resolve allegations that it violated the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by refusing to allow four people with mental health disabilities to reside together in a single-family home in the city under the same terms and conditions as residents without disabilities. The department’s lawsuit alleged that the city unnecessarily required Quality Lifestyle Service Inc. (Quality Lifestyle), a nonprofit housing provider, to apply for a special use permit to manage a four-person transitional home in the city’s R-1

Philadelphia Pharmacy Pays $165,000 to Resolve Allegations of Failing to Maintain Proper Inventory and Documentation of its Controlled Substances

Indira PatelDecember 7, 20230

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Fountain Hill Pharmacy will pay $165,000 to resolve allegations that it failed to comply with various record-keeping requirements for controlled substances. Fountain Hill Pharmacy, a Philadelphia pharmacy wholly owned by pharmacists Nicholas Chaffier and Tracy Chaffier, is a registered retail pharmacy authorized to purchase and dispense Schedule II-V controlled substances. The settlement announced today resolves allegations that between October 2019 and November 2022, Fountain Hill Pharmacy failed to maintain complete and accurate records of controlled substances and failed to take a biennial inventory in violation of the Controlled Substances Act

Dallas Importer and Two Chinese Companies to Pay $2.5 Million to Resolve Allegations of Underpaying Customs Duties

Indira PatelDecember 5, 20230

ADCO Industries (a/k/a Dallco Marketing, Inc.), a Dallas-based importer of industrial products, along with two Chinese companies and two individuals, has agreed to pay $2.5 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by failing to pay customs duties on imports from China, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. Customs laws require importers to pay duties on the price paid for imported goods. This settlement resolves allegations that ADCO, its owner Raymond E. Davis, customs broker Calvin Chang, and Chinese companies Xiamen Atlantis MFC Co., Ltd. and Xiamen Taft Medical Co., Ltd.

Med First Agrees to Pay $1,450,000 to Resolve Health Care Fraud Allegations in South Carolina Clinic

Indira PatelDecember 4, 20230

GREENSBORO – Med First Immediate Care & Family Practice, P.A. (Med First) has agreed to pay the government $1,450,000 to resolve False Claims Act allegations that its clinic in Dillon, South Carolina had been operating as a pill mill and falsely filing claims to Medicare and Medicaid for medically unnecessary urine drug testing (UDT), as well as lengthy and complex office visits that were not performed, announced U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Hairston. The United States and the State of North Carolina alleged that between January 1, 2015, and August 15, 2019, Med First, through its Dillon clinic, knowingly submitted or

Cambria County Area Agency on Aging Agrees to Pay Over $122,000 to Resolve False Claims

Indira PatelDecember 1, 20230

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced today that Cambria County Area Agency on Aging (CCAAA) has agreed to pay $122,461.53 to resolve claims arising from CCAAA’s administration of community service grants funded through AmeriCorps. In 2016 and 2017, CCAAA administered an AmeriCorps Foster Grandparent Program (FGP) grant, which places seniors in school and community settings to serve alongside youth with exceptional needs. This program provides a small hourly stipend, based on the hours served, to the volunteers providing valuable community services to underserved children. AmeriCorps awards CCAAA grant funds to pay the stipends as well as some

Central banks of India, England resolve trade settlement stand-off

ReutersDecember 1, 20230

MUMBAI (Reuters) – The central banks of India and England on Friday signed an agreement on information exchange for settlement of bond trades, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said. In India, bonds are settled through the Clearing Corporation of India (CCIL). Under the new agreement, the Bank of England (BoE) will assess and recognise CCIL as a counterparty to clear and settle bonds and overnight indexed swap trades done by England-based banks and investors. The two central banks have also established a framework for the BoE to rely on the Indian central bank’s regulatory and supervisory activities, while safeguarding

Georgia Tech and Georgia Tech Research Corporation pay $90,000 to resolve allegations of violations of the False Claims Act

Indira PatelNovember 30, 20230

ATLANTA – The Georgia Institute of Technology (“Georgia Tech”) and Georgia Tech Research Corporation (“GTRC”) have agreed to pay $90,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by failing to exercise proper oversight sufficient to allow them to detect the submission of false claims to the National Science Foundation (“NSF”). “Federal grants and awards come with known ‘rules of the road,’” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “Organizations that receive federal funds—especially schools and universities that are pillars of our community—must take steps to ensure that their employees are following the rules. This settlement represents our office’s

Verizon-subsidiary TracFone to pay $23.5 million to resolve FCC probes

ReutersNovember 29, 20230

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Verizon-subsidiary TracFone Wireless agreed to pay $23.5 million to resolve a Federal Communications Commission investigation into allegations it violated rules for two government programs, the agency said Wednesday. Following its acquisition by Verizon in late 2021, TracFone identified instances in which it may have violated rules for two programs to help lower income Americans get communications services. TracFone also reimbursed the Universal Service Fund $22.7 million and repaid $17.9 million in Emergency Broadband Benefit funds, the FCC said. (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Diane Craft)

Utica Police Successfully Resolve Mental Health Crisis with No Injuries

Adam DevineNovember 23, 20230

UTICA, NY – On November 10th, 2023, Utica Police responded to a mental health crisis on Avery Pl involving a potentially suicidal and armed individual. Upon arrival, officers located the individual inside a vehicle, unresponsive to initial attempts at communication and seemingly concealing something in his jacket pocket. Concerned about the possibility of a weapon, officers established a perimeter and engaged trained crisis negotiators. After over two hours of effort, negotiators successfully engaged the individual in conversation. The man communicated his concerns and was persuaded to exit the vehicle and be taken into custody without incident. He was subsequently transported

Binance chief will admit violating US laws as part of $4 billion deal to resolve probe

ReutersNovember 21, 20230

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Binance Holdings chief Changpeng Zhao will admit violating U.S. laws as part of a deal to resolve a U.S. probe into illicit finance breaches, according to a source familiar with matter. The deal between a number of U.S. agencies and the world’s largest crypto exchange will also involve charges against Binance’s former compliance chief Samuel Lim, the source said. The deal will include penalties on the firm of over $4 billion, including $3.4 billion from U.S. Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network and another $968 million from the Office of Foreign Assets Control, another source familiar with

Justice Department Secures Agreement with Tennessee Trucking Companies to Resolve Allegations of Hiring Discrimination

Indira PatelNovember 20, 20230

The Justice Department announced today that it has secured a $700,000 agreement with Covenant Transport Inc. (Covenant), as well as the affiliated entity Transport Management Services LLC (Transport), two transportation logistics and long-haul trucking companies headquartered in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The agreement resolves the department’s determination that the company violated the anti-discrimination provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) by routinely discriminating against non-U.S. citizen workers when checking their permission to work in the United States. “Employers cannot discriminate against non-U.S. citizens by demanding specific or unnecessary documents from them to prove their permission to work,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights

4 Corners Pharmacy Agrees To Pay $800,000 To Resolve Claims Of False Billing

Indira PatelNovember 16, 20230

Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces today that 4 Corners Pharmacy, located in Spring Hill, Florida, has agreed to pay $800,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by knowingly billing the U.S. Department of Labor for a compound supplement that was either not ordered by a licensed healthcare provider or was never delivered to beneficiaries. The Department of Labor provides benefits authorized by the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act including compensation and payment of medical expenses to eligible claimants who were injured or became ill on the job, or to

Justice Department Secures Over $900,000 Agreement with National Staffing Agency to Resolve Claims of Hiring Discrimination

Indira PatelNovember 15, 20230

The Justice Department announced today that it has secured a settlement agreement with Kforce Inc. (Kforce), a staffing agency with 36 offices across the United States. The agreement resolves the department’s determination that Kforce violated the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) by discriminating against non-U.S. citizens with permission to work in the United States and excluding them from job opportunities based on their citizenship status. “Companies cannot unlawfully exclude people with permission to work in the United States from job opportunities because of their citizenship status,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice

Justice Department Secures Agreement with South Dakota Hotel and Sports Lounge to Resolve Allegations of Discrimination Against Native Americans

Indira PatelNovember 12, 20230

WASHINGTON – The Justice Department announced today that the owners and operators of the Grand Gateway Hotel and the Cheers Sports Lounge and Casino, a hotel and sports bar located in Rapid City, South Dakota, have entered into a consent decree resolving the Department’s lawsuit alleging that the defendants discriminated against Native American customers in violation of Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Under the consent decree, which still must be approved by the U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota, Connie Uhre will be barred from serving as an officer or director of the

Police Resolve Crisis Situation Near Reisterstown Road

Charlie DwyerNovember 7, 20230

BALTIMORE COUNTY, MD — The Baltimore County Police Department has reported a peaceful resolution to an earlier incident involving a person in crisis near the intersection of Reisterstown Road and Owings Mills Boulevard. Residents were advised of a significant police presence as law enforcement officials addressed the situation. During the incident, the police recommended that locals seek alternative routes to avoid the area. Following the resolution, the department has not provided specific details regarding the nature of the crisis or the methods used to de-escalate the situation. Community members can anticipate continued police activity in the area as the investigation

Floyd County Company Agrees to Pay $200,000 to Resolve Allegations of Fraudulent Billing for Respiratory Devices

Indira PatelOctober 17, 20230

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Oxygen Plus, Inc., a provider of durable medical equipment based in Floyd County, Kentucky, has agreed to pay $200,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by fraudulently billing Medicare and Medicaid for respiratory devices that patients did not need or use, in contravention of those programs’ requirements. Oxygen Plus provided non-invasive ventilators (“NIVs”) for home use to patients in Kentucky. NIVs are a type of complex respiratory equipment designed to deliver pressurized air into the lungs of patients with serious respiratory diseases. Medicare and Kentucky Medicaid pay a monthly reimbursement for a patient’s

Striking actors vow resolve, studios balk at latest demands

ReutersOctober 12, 20230

By Omar Younis and Lisa Richwine LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Striking Hollywood actors vowed to hold firm on Thursday in their push for higher compensation and other gains as studios rejected a union demand for a bonus tied to the number of streaming TV subscribers. Negotiators for Walt Disney, Netflix and other media companies said late Wednesday they were suspending talks after reviewing the latest offer from the SAG-AFTRA actors union. The move dashed hopes of a quick resolution after a deal with film and television writers. At picket lines on Thursday, actors said they were disappointed that talks had

Second Amendment Lawsuit Asks Court to Resolve Magazine Ban in New Jersey

Phil StiltonOctober 11, 20230

TRENTON, NJ – A federal judge in California has ruled that magazine capacity limits are illegal and a violation of the Second Amendment. That decision is having a rippling effect in states like New Jersey that impose a ten round limit on all firearms magazine capacities. Intentionally misrepresented as a ‘high capacity magazine ban’, the New Jersey law is technically a ‘standard capacity magazine ban’ as most magazines sold nationwide can hold twenty and thirty rounds of ammunition. The ‘high capacity’ terminology was branded by politicians seeking mislead the public during the adoption of the ban. Today, the Association of

South Korea asks US to resolve chip trade issues

ReutersSeptember 21, 20230

SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea on Friday said it has asked the United States to resolve uncertainties regarding U.S. export controls in the chip sector and subsidies for chip investment. Industry Minister Bang Moon-kyu met with U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves in Seoul on Friday ahead of the expiry next month of a year-long waiver for Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix to import U.S. chip-making equipment into China. The waiver allowed the South Korean pair to supply equipment for their chip production facilities in China without additional licensing requirements. The U.S. has not announced how or whether the

Lawmakers Demand Biden Department Of Education Resolve Campus Antisemitism Investigations

The Daily CallerAugust 23, 20230

Lawmakers Demand Biden Department Of Education Resolve Campus Antisemitism Investigations Kate Anderson on August 23, 2023 A group of bipartisan lawmakers sent a letter to the Department of Education (ED) Tuesday calling on the agency to account for how it plans to bring a swift resolution to growing complaints about antisemitism on college campuses, the Jewish Insider first reported. Democratic Rep. Kathy Manning of North Carolina, Republican Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey, Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen of Nevada and Republican Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma, who comprise bipartisan task forces that monitors antisemitism in the U.S., headed the letter,

China vows to coordinate support to resolve local government debt risks

ReutersAugust 20, 20230

BEIJING (Reuters) – China will coordinate financial support to resolve local government debt problems, the central bank said in a statement on Sunday, as policymakers look to shore up an increasingly shaky economic recovery and reassure worried investors. The statement, following a joint meeting on Friday by the People’s Bank of China (PBOC), the country’s top financial regulator and the securities regulator, comes amid growing concerns that China’s deepening property crisis is starting to spillover into its financial system. China unexpectedly lowered several key interest rates earlier last week in a bid to shore up activity and it is expected

Analysis-Russian raid off Turkey’s coast tests Erdogan’s resolve

ReutersAugust 16, 20230

By Jonathan Spicer and Ece Toksabay ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Russia’s raid on a ship just off Turkey’s coast brings the fallout from the Ukraine war to another NATO frontier and raises the stakes as Ankara seeks to coax Moscow back to a grain-export deal that would restore some calm to the Black Sea. Armed marines raided the Turkish-based vessel via helicopter on Sunday some 60 km (37 miles) off Turkey’s northwest coast, in international waters but near Istanbul, in what Moscow called an inspection before it sailed on to Ukraine. Turkey, NATO’s second-largest military, has made no public comment on

BOJ’s Ueda signals resolve to maintain ultra-easy policy

ReutersJuly 18, 20230

By Leika Kihara and Tetsushi Kajimoto (Reuters) -Bank of Japan (BOJ) Governor Kazuo Ueda said on Tuesday there was still some distance to sustainably and stably achieving the central bank’s 2% inflation target, signalling his resolve to maintain ultra-loose monetary policy for the time being. “We have patiently continued our ultra-loose monetary policy under yield curve control (YCC),” with due consideration to the impact on financial intermediation and market function, Ueda told a news conference after attending a G20 finance leaders’ meeting in India. Ueda said the BOJ will scrutinise at each policy meeting the pace of progress Japan was