MARYLAND NEWS

Maryland will receive more than $4.4 million to resolve allegations that Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation (Novartis) paid kickbacks to health care practitioners in the form of cash, meals, entertainment, and honoraria payments to induce them to prescribe various medications that treat hypertension or Type 2 Diabetes. “This is not the first time a pharmaceutical company has paid kickbacks to doctors,. This settlement should be a clear message to drug manufacturers. We are watching, and we will pursue those who attempt to defraud our state,” said Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh...Novartis admitted to aspects of the scheme in a stipulation filed in federal court in connection with the settlement...Under the settlement, Novartis agreed to pay $678 million to the United States, Maryland, 26 other states, and the District of Columbia, $103 million of which resolves claims pertaining to state Medicaid programs. Maryland’s $4.4 million share of the settlement resolves claims relating specifically to Maryland’s Medicaid program.  Source: Maryland Attorney General

Orchestrated the Straw Purchase of a Foreclosed Property for Her Own Benefit, Causing a Loss to the Bank of Approximately $145,000; Made False Statements to Bank Regulators Inquiring About Foreclosed Property. Source: US Attorney District of Maryland

A former state lawmaker who helped create Maryland’s medical marijuana industry was sentenced on Wednesday to two years in prison for taking bribes for legislative favors, including votes to benefit a medical marijuana company...Cheryl Glenn, a Democrat who represented parts of Baltimore as a state delegate, told U.S. District Judge Catherine Blake that she is “profoundly remorseful” and hopes other public officials can learn from her mistakes. Source: Washington Times

The Maryland State Retirement and Pension System has received $405,208.53 in restitution from Union Bank of Switzerland (UBS).addition, the Maryland Attorney General’s Office received $296,000 as payment for its work on the related investigation into fraudulent conduct by major banks involving the manipulation of the LIBOR (The London Interbank Offered Rate) benchmark interest rate.Source: Maryland Attorney General

Gov. Larry Hogan (R) announced at a press conference Wednesday more than 47,000 false claims were made using stolen identities and personal information acquired from previous data breaches. The governor said Maryland claimants’ personal information was not compromised during the scheme. Source: The Hill

Allegedly Misrepresented to the U.S. Departments of Defense and Labor the Condition of the Equipment and Provided Fraudulent Documentation Concerning His Company’s Certifications... An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Source:  U.S. Attorney, District of Maryland

A USA TODAY investigation of 15 of the largest and hardest-hit states found hundreds of millions of dollars in sole-sourced, non-competitive awards went to vendors that have been accused of defrauding taxpayers through the False Claims Act...USA TODAY combed through more than 1,600 COVID-19 contracts with no competitive bids awarded through May 18 to vendors from 15 states, including the largest and some of those that have experienced the worst coronavirus outbreaks: Alaska, California, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Illinois, Maryland...Source: USA Today 

The allegations underlying the charges against Abramoff, 62, of Silver Spring, Md., ...are contained in two separate documents...According to the allegations, Abramoff and another person conspired to make false and misleading statements to potential purchasers of a proposed new cryptocurrency called AML Bitcoin. The information filed against Abramoff also alleges that he knowingly and corruptly failed to register as a lobbyist, as required by the Lobbying Disclosure Act...This is the first ever known prosecution of a lobbyist for a criminal violation of the Act...An information and an indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Source: U.S. Attorney, Northern District of California

The U.S. Supreme Court said Monday it won't review a D.C. Circuit decision affirming a Maryland woman's conviction on charges of health care fraud and money laundering, despite her argument that her case was wrongly dragged out.Source: Law360.com

Investigators say a suspect traveled to Maryland from New York with intentions of using a fake ID to get a bank card. Source: CBS- WJZ 13