United States of America, ex rel., et al v. Sightpath Medical, Inc., et al

  1. February 08, 2024

    $490M FCA Verdict Against Medical Distributor Cut In Half

    A Minnesota federal judge on Thursday chopped a $490 million False Claims Act verdict against an ophthalmology distributor for making kickbacks to doctors in half, finding the compensatory damages to be "notably severe" and "grossly disproportional" to the offense under the Excessive Fines Clause.

  2. December 13, 2023

    6 Biggest Healthcare Fraud Cases Of 2023

    This year saw a rare False Claims Act jury trial that netted a $490 million verdict, a $172 million settlement from Cigna to settle healthcare fraud allegations, and emerging fraud schemes from developing technologies. Here, Law360 takes a look back at six significant healthcare fraud enforcement actions from 2023.

  3. May 15, 2023

    Judge Affirms $490M FCA Verdict Against Medical Distributor

    A Minnesota federal judge granted a nearly $490 million False Claims Act verdict against an ophthalmology distributor over kickbacks to doctors, saying the government had correctly calculated liability, with the company premature in its argument that the verdict was unconstitutionally excessive.

  4. March 27, 2023

    $490M FCA Award Unconstitutional, Distributor Insists

    An ophthalmology distributor has hit back at the U.S. Department of Justice's request that the company should have to pay nearly $490 million in False Claims Act liability after a jury found it greased the palms of surgeons with luxury travel, sports tickets and other kickbacks.

  5. March 17, 2023

    Feds Want $490M Award After FCA Kickback Verdict

    The U.S. Department of Justice on Friday asked a Minnesota federal judge to order an ophthalmology distributor found by a jury to have greased the palms of surgeons with luxury travel, sports tickets and other kickbacks to pay nearly $490 million in False Claims Act liability.

  6. February 28, 2023

    DOJ Wins Kickback Verdict Threatening $485M Liability

    A Minnesota federal jury delivered a $43 million verdict against an ophthalmology distributor accused of greasing the palms of surgeons with luxury travel, sports tickets and other kickbacks, the U.S. Department of Justice said Tuesday, potentially triggering $485 million in False Claims Act liability.

  7. August 04, 2020

    Bankrupt Whistleblower Can Sue Medical Co. In Kickback Row

    A whistleblower who filed for bankruptcy has legal standing to sue an eye products supplier over an alleged kickback scheme, as a trustee for his bankruptcy estate released its right to the claims, a Minnesota federal judge held Tuesday.

  8. July 27, 2020

    Whistleblower, Feds Object To Sanctions In Kickback Row

    The federal government, an eye product supplier and a whistleblower have all pushed back in litigation over an alleged kickback scheme against a Minnesota federal magistrate judge for sanctioning them over issues relating to the case's scope and evidence.

  9. July 13, 2020

    Feds And Eye Product Co. Sanctioned In Kickback Suit

    An eye product supplier, the federal government and a whistleblower are all being sanctioned in a suit accusing the company of paying kickbacks to doctors, after a Minnesota federal magistrate judge found a series of issues relating to the case's scope and evidence.

  10. March 03, 2020

    Gov't Attys' Conduct In Medical Co. Kickback Suit Deemed OK

    A Minnesota federal judge has refused to toss a whistleblower's suit accusing an eye product supplier of paying kickbacks to doctors, finding that his sharing of secret recordings of the company's owner and staff with government attorneys was lawful.