Find Corporate Waste

Tag: DOJ

  • Customs Evasion Exposed: $1.4M Turtle Smuggling Case

    Customs Evasion Exposed: $1.4M Turtle Smuggling Case

    August 11, 2025 — The Department of Justice announced that Wei Qiang Lin has pleaded guilty in federal court. He is a Chinese national residing in Brooklyn, New York who was charged with illegally exporting hundreds of protected U.S. turtles to Hong Kong.

    The case reveals an egregious wildlife trafficking scheme. It also highlights the broader challenge of customs evasion. This is a red flag category that Find Corporate Waste actively tracks for potential False Claims Act and related enforcement.

    According to court filings, between August 2023 and November 2024, Lin shipped approximately 222 parcels. These parcels contained around 850 turtles to Hong Kong. To avoid detection, he falsely labeled the contents as “plastic animal toys” and other harmless items.

    The reptiles were eastern box turtles and three-toed box turtles. Both species are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

    The market value of the turtles was estimated at $1.4 million. Lin also shipped 11 other parcels containing live reptiles, including venomous snakes.

    Wildlife smuggling is not just an environmental crime — it is an import/export fraud. Customs declarations are deliberately falsified for various items. This includes turtles, industrial equipment, and medical devices. Such actions undermine regulatory systems and deprive the U.S. of lawful duties and oversight.

    The Enforcement Outcome

    Lin is scheduled for sentencing on December 23, 2025, and faces:

    • Up to 5 years in prison
    • 3 years of supervised release
    • A fine up to $250,000 or twice the gain/loss from the illegal activity

    As part of his plea, Lin agreed to give up all property interests in the seized reptiles.

    Why Whistleblowers Are Essential

    Federal wildlife and customs laws depend on honest declarations and compliance. Individuals or companies can use false labels, falsified invoices, or shell intermediaries to evade detection. Often, insiders can offer the proof needed to hold them accountable.

    Find Corporate Waste works with relators who have firsthand knowledge of customs evasion schemes.

    These are particularly linked to federal contracting and trade subsidies.

    They also relate to other areas where the False Claims Act applies.

    Find Corporate Waste has identified customs evasion as a target practice area for two reasons:

    1. It often overlaps with federal funding and program fraud.
      • Many entities caught evading customs are also engaged in fraudulent procurement.
      • They can also be involved in subsidies abuse.
      • Some falsify import/export certifications that tie directly to U.S. government contracts.
    2. It creates pathways for qui tam enforcement.

    If you know of goods being mislabeled to bypass customs inspection, please contact us. Goods that evade tariffs or avoid licensing requirements should be reported. Your information will stop the flow of illicit goods, protect U.S. markets, and result in significant whistleblower rewards.

    Reach out to us today at info@findcorporatewaste.com.

  • Illumina’s $9.8M Cybersecurity Settlement Explained

    Illumina’s $9.8M Cybersecurity Settlement Explained

    Cybersecurity protection is a vital area where the federal government spends billions of dollars to ensure safety. A recent False Claims Act settlement in the District of Rhode Island is a clear example. Companies that fail to meet the standards they claim to uphold risk huge financial penalties.

    Illumina Inc., a leading genomic sequencing company, agreed to pay $9.8 million after the Justice Department alleged it sold systems to federal agencies that had serious cybersecurity vulnerabilities between 2016 and 2023.

    A whistleblower inside the company triggered the case. Erica Lenore, a former Director for Platform Management, received $1.9 million for stepping forward under the False Claims Act.  

    If you work in cybersecurity, IT, compliance, or product management for a company that sells to the federal government, you may have noticed similar failures. These include unpatched vulnerabilities or a lack of essential security testing.

    Under the False Claims Act, neglecting these failures can result in multimillion-dollar liabilities for your employer. It can also lead to multimillion-dollar rewards for you if you take action.

    For professionals concerned about exposure, Find Corporate Waste (FCW) protects whistleblowers who want to remain anonymous. We submit filings through the corporation, not you personally. This ensures maximum confidentiality. It also allows you to receive your fair share of any recovery.  

  • Delta Airlines To Pay $8.1 Million Settlement for Pandemic Relief Fraud

    Delta Airlines To Pay $8.1 Million Settlement for Pandemic Relief Fraud

    Delta Airlines has agreed to pay $8.1 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by breaching executive compensation limits imposed by Congress as a condition for receiving federal COVID-19 relief.

    The relief funds came from the Payroll Support Program (PSP), created under the CARES Act. Between 2020 and 2023, Delta received nearly $11.9 billion, including $8.2 billion in grants that did not require repayment. In exchange, the airline agreed to cap compensation for executives who earned over $425,000 in 2019 until April 2023.

    According to the settlement, Delta broke that agreement by awarding pay packages that exceeded legal thresholds, then falsely certified compliance with the terms of the PSP and failed to alert Treasury of its breach.

    “When companies accept federal assistance, especially generous pandemic-relief funds like those at issue here, they owe a duty to the American people to respect the conditions placed on those funds,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “We will continue to enforce all available laws to punish the misuse of taxpayers’ money.”

    The case began when a whistleblower—a financial researcher—filed a qui tam lawsuit under the False Claims Act, a law that empowers private citizens to report fraud on the government’s behalf. As part of the resolution, the whistleblower (known legally as the relator) will receive $825,000 plus attorney’s fees.

    The qui tam case, United States ex rel. H. Remidez, LLC v. Delta Airlines, Inc., No. 1:23-CV-1116, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.

    The settlement was the result of an investigation led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, the DOJ Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, and the Treasury Department’s Office of Inspector General.

  • Michigan Health Care Provider Ordered to Pay $334,807 to Settle False Claims Act Allegations

    Michigan Health Care Provider Ordered to Pay $334,807 to Settle False Claims Act Allegations

    In the Eastern District of Michigan, M&Y Care, LLC, a Michigan-based home health provider, has agreed to pay $334,807.20 to resolve allegations that it defrauded the Medicare and Medicaid programs by billing for services rendered by unqualified staff.

    According to the Department of Justice, M&Y Care caused the United States Government to be billed for services provided by unqualified staff. Using the incorrect CPT code, G0156, which refers to a home health aide, they defrauded the federal government for services at a reimbursement rate higher than the non-skilled rate to which their employees were entitled.

    The misconduct came to light thanks to a False Claims Act lawsuit filed under the law’s qui tam provisions. The investigation was prompted by a whistleblower complaint under the False Claims Act (FCA), showing the critical role private citizens play in holding corporations accountable for wasting our money.

    At Find Corporate Waste, we applaud this outcome and the whistleblower who made it possible. Every time a company siphons money from Medicare or Medicaid, they are not just defrauding a system—they are stealing from the sick, the elderly, and the taxpayer.

    We are committed to ensuring that fraud like this doesn’t go unanswered.

    If you have information about misconduct involving government programs or contracts, visit our page on how whistleblowers protect public funds. You might be the reason the next $300,000 gets returned to the American people.

    • Indian National Charged with Falsely Claiming U.S. Citizenship to Vote in 2024 Election

      An Indian national faces two federal charges for allegedly falsely claiming U.S. citizenship on a Minnesota voter certificate to cast a ballot in the 2024 general election.

    • Health Care Fraud Can Carry a Life Sentence When Patients Die

      Did you know? Federal health care fraud can carry a life sentence when the fraud results in a patient’s death. Under 18 U.S.C. § 1347, knowingly and willfully executing—or attempting to execute—a scheme to defraud a health care benefit program can ordinarily result in up to 10 years in federal prison. But the penalties escalate…

    • Pennsylvania Medical Supplier Billed $1.3B in Five Months, DOJ Says

      ND Medical Solutions allegedly submitted $1.3 billion in fraudulent claims within five months and transferred insurance proceeds overseas.

    • Mount Sinai Reaches DOJ Agreement Amid False Claims Act Investigation

      Mount Sinai Health System has reached an agreement with the Justice Department resolving a federal investigation into its provision of gender-transition procedures to minors. Under the agreement, Mount Sinai will stop providing puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and surgical procedures to minors. The health system will also pay a monetary penalty and dedicate $2 million to…

    • Complete Health Pays $14.1M Over Inflated Medicare Advantage Diagnoses

      Complete Health allegedly pushed unsupported mental health and substance-dependence diagnoses that increased Medicare Advantage payments. A former risk-adjustment executive will receive nearly $2.5 million for exposing the scheme.

    • Boston Eye Practice to Pay $3.9M Over Unsupported Medicare Billing

      Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston will pay nearly $3.9 million to resolve allegations that it improperly billed Medicare and MassHealth for office visits performed alongside eye injections.

    • Abusive Michigan Day Care Owner Billed Medicare for Dead Patients

      New Beginnings Adult Center owner Yolanda Matthews admitted billing Medicare more than $539,000 for nonexistent psychotherapy, including claims for hospitalized and deceased patients

    • NYC Correction Officers Among Defendants in $3M Fake Check Scheme

      Current and former NYC government employees allegedly helped deposit more than $3 million in fraudulent checks, generating over $500,000 in proceeds.

    • Dallas Lab and Founders Pay $24M Over COVID Testing Claims

      Magnolia Diagnostics, its owners and investors will pay $24 million to resolve allegations involving medically unnecessary respiratory testing billed to Medicare.

    • Brooklyn Adult Day Care Owner Gets 57 Months for $3.2M Medicaid Fraud

      Prime Life owner Eric Zhu was sentenced to 57 months in prison for billing Medicaid $3.2 million for adult day care services never provided.

  • California Couple Guilty in $16M Hospice Fraud Scheme

    California Couple Guilty in $16M Hospice Fraud Scheme

    Two California residents have pleaded guilty in a scheme to defraud Medicare of nearly $16 million by operating fake hospice companies and laundering the proceeds.

    Karpis Srapyan of Winnetka, California, admitted to helping orchestrate the false claims, which were routed through four fake hospice companies he and others controlled. The scam used falsified documents, fraudulent leases, and stolen identities to gain access to federal funds.

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    Susanna Harutyunyan, also of Winnetka, pleaded guilty to laundering money on behalf of her husband and co-conspirators. She helped move millions through fraudulent bank accounts and spent taxpayer money on personal luxuries—including a BMW.

    Other defendants have already been sentenced or are awaiting sentencing, with penalties ranging up to 20 years in prison. One participant has already received a 12-year sentence.

    Find Corporate Waste is committed to uncovering schemes that drain public funds.

    Hospice fraud exploits the suffering of vulnerable American families, while wasting taxpayer money. The False Claims Act exists as the main remedy for recovering wasteful, abusive, and fraudulent spending.

    If you have knowledge of healthcare providers submitting false claims to Medicare or Medicaid, you can act.

    Whistleblowers are entitled to a portion of any recovered funds and play a critical role in protecting public trust.

    Becoming a relator is a serious decision.

    Find Corporate Waste is here to help guide you through the process. If you have firsthand knowledge about fraudulent Medicare billing or sham healthcare operations, we urge you to reach out and help restore integrity to our healthcare system.

  • DOJ-HHS Launch New Initiative to Combat Healthcare Fraud

    DOJ-HHS Launch New Initiative to Combat Healthcare Fraud

    July 2, 2025

    Washington, D.C.


    In a decisive move to enhance the fight against healthcare fraud, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have taken significant action. They have launched the DOJ-HHS False Claims Act Working Group.

    This strategic alliance formalizes long-standing cooperation between the two agencies.

    It also shows how the False Claims Act (FCA) is used. This law protects federal healthcare programs from fraud, waste, and abuse.

    The Working Group will concentrate enforcement in seven key areas:

    • Medicare Advantage fraud, such as upcoding and inflated risk scores
    • Drug and device pricing manipulation, such as undisclosed rebates and improper discount arrangements
    • Access to care violations, including non-compliant provider networks
    • Kickback schemes, involving drugs, medical devices, and durable medical equipment
    • Defective medical devices that compromise patient safety
    • Electronic Health Records abuse, such as system manipulation to boost Medicare billing
    • Data-driven investigations, powered by cross-agency analytics and audit findings

    The new Working Group encourages whistleblowers to report false claims involving federal healthcare dollars related to specific enforcement priorities.

    At Find Corporate Waste, we spotlight whistleblower-driven accountability.

    If you become a relator under the False Claims Act, your role would expose fraud and recover taxpayer dollars.

    Becoming a relator is a serious decision.

    If you have inside information on healthcare contracts or schemes, we’re here to assist you.

    Report Fraud
  • Whistleblower Rewarded $1.4 Million in YAPP USA Case

    Whistleblower Rewarded $1.4 Million in YAPP USA Case

    YAPP USA Automotive Systems, Inc., a subsidiary ultimately owned by the Chinese government, has agreed to pay $14,208,496 to the United States. This agreement settles allegations that it improperly obtained and retained a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan. These actions were in violation of the False Claims Act.

    The case was brought to light through a qui tam lawsuit filed under the False Claims Act by GNGH2 Inc., a private entity acting in the public interest.

    The whistleblower will receive $1,420,849 as a reward for its role in exposing the misconduct.

    Stacks of U.S. currency bundles, each secured with rubber bands, arranged neatly in a large pile.

    Find Corporate Waste is dedicated to recovering taxpayer money. These funds were given to foreign owned businesses. This occurred while Americans struggled to make ends meet during the pandemic.

    If you have information relating to potential False Claims Act violations, we are here to help you file your complaint. We aim to restore trust and accountability to the American procurement system.

    Report Fraud

  • Chicago Tech Executive Convicted in $55 Million Bank Fraud and PPP Scam

    July 2, 2025

    Rahul Shah, 56, of Evanston, Illinois, is facing decades in federal prison after being convicted for orchestrating a multi-million-dollar bank fraud and COVID-19 relief scam in which he defrauded financial institutions out of more than $55 million in commercial loans and PPP funds.

    Shah operated several information technology companies in the Chicago area and submitted fake documents to secure the funds.

    According to prosecutors, Shah falsified bank records, inflated revenues on financial statements, and forged audit reports to deceive federally insured lenders. He defaulted on several of the loans, leaving taxpayers on the hook.

    The fraud didn’t stop there. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Shah filed bogus applications for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans—falsely inflating payroll figures and submitting counterfeit IRS forms. Authorities say he also used stolen identities and tax information to qualify for pandemic aid, a tactic that earned him additional charges for aggravated identity theft.

    The evidence showed that the payroll numbers submitted to lenders were drastically higher than those reported to federal and state tax agencies. Investigators also found that the IRS forms Shah submitted had been doctored to mislead banks about his companies’ eligibility for SBA-backed loans.

    The jury returned a conviction on 16 counts, including:

    • 7 counts of bank fraud
    • 5 counts of making false statements to financial institutions
    • 2 counts of money laundering
    • 2 counts of aggravated identity theft

    Shah is set to be sentenced on November 13, and he faces up to:

    • 30 years for each bank fraud and false statement count
    • 10 years for each money laundering count
    • 2 years for each aggravated identity theft count

    The case was investigated by the FBI Chicago Field Office and the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA OIG). It was prosecuted by the DOJ’s Criminal Division Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois.

    This conviction adds to a growing list of pandemic-related prosecutions. Since the CARES Act was passed, the DOJ has recovered more than $78 million in stolen PPP funds.

    Know something?
    If you have firsthand knowledge about PPP fraud or government contracting abuse, Find Corporate Waste encourages you to come forward. You can report potential COVID-19 fraud directly to the National Center for Disaster Fraud.

  • South Carolina Man Charged in Medicare and Private Jet Fraud Schemes

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    This next case exemplifies how taxpayer dollars have been abused, and demonstrates the importance of recovering such funds when obtained under false circumstances.

    Two separate federal indictments allege that Patrick Britton-Harr, a 41-year old businessman from Charleston, South Carolina, used his company, Provista Health, to fraudulently bill Medicare more than $15 million for respiratory pathogen panel (RPP) tests during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

    The government alleges that over $5 million was paid out by Medicare for these bogus claims.

    In addition, Britton-Harr ran a Ponzi scheme where he banked $1.5 million in payments from individuals who allegedly trusted him to purchase airplanes for their usage as part of an exclusive group through the corporation AeroVanti Inc.

    At Find Corporate Waste, we illustrate the critical role that the False Claims Act serves in safeguarding taxpayer funds. While the indictments do not directly mention a qui tam relator in this case, this tool can be used to recover government funds in cases relating to Defense and National Security, Manufacturing and Tariffs, and PPP Loans.

  • Swiss-Owned Company Pays $2.3M to Settle PPP Fraud Case Triggered by Whistleblower

    In a decisive action against pandemic relief fraud, Zund America, Inc., based in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, has agreed to pay $2.3 million to resolve allegations it falsely certified eligibility for a federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan. The investigation was prompted by a whistleblower complaint under the False Claims Act (FCA), once again affirming the critical role private citizens play in holding corporations accountable.

    In February 2021, Zund America received a second-draw PPP loan—a type of loan restricted to businesses with 300 or fewer employees, including their affiliates. However, Zund America is owned by Zund Holding AG, a Swiss parent company with a global network of 19 affiliated entities, collectively employing well over that limit.

    Despite these clear affiliations, Zund America certified its eligibility and received taxpayer-backed funds. The Small Business Administration (SBA) later repaid the loan, effectively passing the cost to American taxpayers.

    This case might have gone unnoticed if not for a qui tam complaint filed under the False Claims Act by GNGH 2, Inc., a whistleblower entity. Qui tam provisions allow private parties to sue on behalf of the U.S. government and receive a portion of the recovery. As a result of the whistleblower’s tip, the government recovered the full loan amount plus penalties.

    The case, filed as United States ex rel. GNGH 2, Inc. v. Zund America, Inc. (No. 24-cv-0661), was prosecuted in the Eastern District of Wisconsin, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Carter representing the government.

    At Find Corporate Waste, we shine a light where others look away—because every stolen dollar is a theft from the American people, and we’re here to take it back.