Georgia Criminal Defense Lawyers Blog

Health Care Qui Tam cases What does Qui Tam mean? Qui tam is short for the Latin phrase “qui tam pro domino rege quam pro se ipso in hac parte sequitur,” which roughly translates to “he who brings an action for the king as well as for himself.” How does the Qui Tam definition relate…

When the PPP program was first created, it was meant to assist business left struggling by the Covid-19 pandemic. One of the key provisions of the program, was that the Small Business Administration (SBA) would guarantee the loan which meant that borrowers could secure loans more easily. As mentioned in a previous blog, the government…

The Department of Justice just announced that U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland created COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to enhance enforcement efforts against COVID-19 related fraud. Cases have included: Offers to purchase COVID-19 vaccination cards Requiring payment for testing or vaccines. PPP loan fraud EIDL (Economic Injury Disaster Loans) fraud Unemployment fraud – weekly…

The IRS has just announced that Operation Hidden Treasure will seek to find taxpayers with unreported income from currency transactions. Did you notice the new question on page 1 of the Tax Form 1040? It states, “At any time during 2020 did you receive any financial interest in virtual currency?” Last year this question was…

PPP Loan Fraud -NEWEST DEVELOPMENTS As we continue to see in the news, many cases are being charged by the Department of Justice for PPP (Payroll Protection Program) issues. There continues to be a lot of confusion out there over the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Understandable since information continues to change about how to apply,…

People in Georgia tend to have mixed opinions on polygraph tests-if they even have an opinion at all. One camp purports that the tests are unreliable and easy to beat. Another camp recognizes potential flaws while still understanding that these tests have a lot to offer. The reality is that they do provide tremendous value…

Public attitudes towards marijuana in Georgia are becoming far more relaxed, especially as other states, such as Colorado and California, begin legalizing recreational use of the drug. However, while Georgians may no longer think that offenders of marijuana crimes deserve the heavy handed sentences they have been subject to for decades, the fact remains that…

In 2019, the nonprofit news service, ProPublica, published a story about health care fraud. The story, which included reporting about a Texas-based personal trainer, shows how easy it can be to bill health insurance providers for services despite lacking any legal basis for doing so. Unfortunately, as the ProPublica report points out, there are some…

If you are facing criminal charges, you are naturally concerned about the potential legal and financial consequences of a conviction. However, as a nurse, even a charge of certain offenses may lead to professional consequences as well. The state requires that licensed nurses report any convictions that involve a felony offense, controlled substances or irresponsible…

News stories continue to pour in about Paycheck Protection Program loan fraud (see https://www.nbcnews.com/business/economy/congressional-investigation-finds-over-1-billion-ppp-fraud-n1239001). The Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) was authorized as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act to provide forgivable loans to eligible small businesses. Under the PPP, small businesses can apply for loans that must be used for payroll…