Friday, February 5, 2021
On February 4, 2021, the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) announced a settlement of allegations of Medicare Fraud brought by a qui tam relator under the False Claims Act (“FCA”) related to “Operation Brace Yourself.”
This case is a shining example of how laws that incentivize whistleblowers can help uncover large frauds. The False Claims Act is an essential tool for the detection and successful prosecution of fraud and corruption.
The whistleblower lawsuit alleged that Kelly Wolfe, a Florida businesswoman, and her company Regency Inc. (“Regency”), submitted false claims to the United States for braces and other durable medical equipment (“DME”). The qui tam lawsuit was filed in March 2019 by Condra Albright, a former employee of Regency.