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White Collar
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November 08, 2024
Biz Owner Pleads Guilty To CBP Contract Kickback Scheme
A software-testing business owner pled guilty to conspiring to bribe a U.S. Customs and Border Protection official in exchange for government contracts being funneled to his company.
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November 08, 2024
Ex-LA Pol's Aide Avoids Prison In 'Casino Loyale' Probe
A California federal judge appeared poised Friday to deliver a harsh sentence to a cooperating witness in the corruption probe of Los Angeles City Hall after repeatedly asking him why he coordinated bribes and lied to the FBI, but ultimately sentenced him to home detention as the government requested.
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November 08, 2024
Investors Duped By Opportunity Zone Promises, Colo. Says
Colorado's securities commissioner accused a California businessman on Thursday of selling investors on a project ostensibly meant to purchase single-family homes using a federal program for revitalizing economically distressed areas, while instead using company assets as a "personal piggy bank."
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November 08, 2024
9th Circ. Doubts Weight Loss Doc's Fraud Conviction Appeal
A Ninth Circuit panel appeared skeptical Friday of a former Hollywood doctor's bid to undo his conviction for conning insurance companies into covering his famous 1-800-GET-THIN lap-band weight loss surgeries, with one appellate judge saying there was "overwhelming" evidence that the physician directed subordinates to falsify sleep studies.
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November 08, 2024
How Trump Could Turn The Government Against Jack Smith
Special counsel Jack Smith and his team of prosecutors could face politically motivated retribution by President-elect Donald Trump and his allies in the form of a congressional investigation, a U.S. Department of Justice probe and even criminal prosecution, according to experts.
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November 08, 2024
Gov't Union Continues Organizing Push For DOJ Attys
Attorneys in the U.S. Department of Justice's civil rights and environment divisions are stepping up their efforts to organize with the National Treasury Employees Union, the union confirmed Friday, as federal workers brace for coming changes under President-elect Donald Trump's new administration.
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November 08, 2024
GOP Reps. Tell Trump Special Counsel To Preserve Records
On the heels of former President Donald Trump's victory, House Republicans told Special Counsel Jack Smith on Friday to preserve all his records on the Biden administration's "politicized prosecutions" into Trump.
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November 08, 2024
NJ Appeals Panel Rejects Convicted Ex-Atty's Bid For Relief
The New Jersey Appellate Division turned down on Friday a former attorney's bid for review of her conviction on participating in an $873,000 mortgage fraud scheme, in which she claimed she was barred from the full range of cross-examination at trial that she should have had the right to.
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November 08, 2024
FTX Investment Firm Seeks Return Of $11M In Crypto Assets
Alameda Research, an investment arm of the now-bankrupt FTX digital asset empire, has filed a lawsuit against cryptocurrency exchange Crypto.com in Delaware bankruptcy court, seeking the return of $11.4 million in assets still held on the platform despite multiple requests from the debtor.
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November 08, 2024
DC Judge Freezes Election Subversion Case Against Trump
A D.C. federal judge on Friday wiped out the schedule in the case accusing President-elect Donald Trump of plotting to overturn the 2020 election, granting a postelection request from the special counsel's office prosecuting the case.
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November 07, 2024
Ex-Celsius CEO OK'd To Seek Testimony From Abroad
A New York federal judge Thursday gave former Celsius Network CEO Alex Mashinsky the green light to seek deposition testimony from witnesses reading abroad that he claims is crucial to his defense, but declined to narrow the case against the founder of the now-bankrupt cryptocurrency-lending platform.
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November 07, 2024
Man Gets 2 Yrs. For Illegally Accessing Ginsburg's Health Info
A former healthcare industry worker who was accused of illegally accessing U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's healthcare records and posting them online was sentenced Thursday in Virginia federal court to two years in prison, the U.S. Department of Justice said.
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November 07, 2024
Wuhan Chemical Co. Charged In Latest China Fentanyl Bust
California federal prosecutors announced Thursday that a Wuhan, China-based chemical company has been charged with exporting illegal fentanyl precursors and adulterants to the United States and other countries, the latest in a series of recent criminal actions cracking down on Chinese drug manufacturers' role in the opioid epidemic.
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November 07, 2024
7th Circ. Affirms Warrantless Use of Surveillance Cameras
The Seventh Circuit is standing by its decision that putting a pole up to observe someone's home without a warrant doesn't trample their Fourth Amendment rights because it doesn't constitute a search.
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November 07, 2024
Feds Accuse Miss. Mayor And Local DA Of Taking Bribes
An indictment unsealed Thursday in Mississippi federal court charges the Hinds County district attorney, Jackson's mayor and a member of the Jackson City Council with accepting thousands of dollars in bribes in exchange for pushing through real estate developers' projects.
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November 07, 2024
DOD Secretary's Withdrawal From 9/11 Plea Deals Overturned
A military judge has said U.S. Department of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin lacked the authority to withdraw from plea agreements with the alleged main planner of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and two co-defendants that spared them the death penalty, overturning Austin's decision.
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November 07, 2024
Overstock.com Ex-CEO Looks To Slash Hunter Biden's Claims
The former CEO of Overstock.com has asked a California federal court to block various damages and all opposing expert testimony in Hunter Biden's upcoming defamation trial against him over alleged false statements that Biden was working with a foreign government.
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November 07, 2024
Ill. Judge Anticipates 'Massive' Outcome Investor Restitution
An Illinois federal judge signaled Thursday that he anticipates three former Outcome Health executives will pay a "massive" amount in restitution to investors such as Goldman Sachs and CapitalG that were persuaded to give Outcome money in a fraudulent effort to grow the company.
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November 07, 2024
Researcher Sues DEA Over Pot Rescheduling Process
A psychedelic researcher has asked a Washington federal judge to block the Drug Enforcement Administration from proceeding with its plan to hold administrative hearings on a proposal to reclassify marijuana, alleging various breaches of administrative law.
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November 07, 2024
Ex-TD Branch Manager Gets 13 Months For Account Theft
A former New York-based branch manager of TD Bank was sentenced to 13 months in prison after pleading guilty to stealing over $200,000 from a customer's account, even after the customer had died.
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November 07, 2024
FINRA Orders Ga. Broker To Pay $2M Over Trading Strategy
A Georgia-based brokerage firm has agreed to pay $2 million in partial restitution to settle allegations from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority that the firm recommended a trading strategy to customers without fully understanding it.
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November 07, 2024
Truth Social Tipper Gets 28 Mos. In Trump SPAC Insider Case
A Manhattan federal judge hit a career securities trader from Florida with a 28-month prison sentence Thursday after a jury convicted him of conveying tips that fueled a $23 million insider trading scheme exploiting plans to take Truth Social public.
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November 07, 2024
Attys For Solar Co. Ex-CEO Should Be DQ'd, Plaintiffs Say
The lawyers representing the former CEO of a bankrupt solar energy company should be disqualified, attorneys for the plaintiffs in a suit against him said Wednesday, arguing that the firm had multiple conflicts of interest with its work as in-house counsel for the solar energy company and was intentionally delaying discovery because of its "obvious web of conflicting obligations."
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November 07, 2024
Ex-Cop, Brother Admit Energy Contract Kickback Scheme
A former Massachusetts police officer and his electrician brother pled guilty Wednesday to paying off employees of a utility ratepayer-funded energy savings program administrator who steered $36 million in contracts their way, federal prosecutors said Thursday.
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November 07, 2024
Feds Say Fla. Atty Can't Shake COVID Relief Fraud Conviction
In a case involving a Florida lawyer serving a 75-month sentence for a COVID-19 loan fraud scheme, federal prosecutors are arguing that the trial judge was correct to allow a witness to testify that the defendant had talked about having another co-conspirator killed.
Expert Analysis
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Key Takeaways From DOJ's New Corp. Compliance Guidance
The U.S. Department of Justice’s updated guidance to federal prosecutors on evaluating corporate compliance programs addresses how entities manage new technology-related risks and expands on preexisting policies, providing key insights for companies about increasing regulatory expectations, say attorneys at Debevoise.
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The Key Changes In Revised FDIC Hiring Regulations
Attorneys at Ogletree break down the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s new rule, effective Oct. 1, that will ease restrictions on financial institutions hiring employees with criminal histories, amend the FDIC's treatment of minor offenses and clarify its stance on expunged or dismissed criminal records.
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6 Tips For Trying Cases Away From Home
Excerpt from Practical Guidance
A truly national litigation practice, by definition, often requires trying cases in jurisdictions across the country, which presents unique challenges that require methodical preparation and coordination both within the trial team and externally, say Edward Bennett and Suzanne Salgado at Williams & Connolly.
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Kubient Case Shows SEC's Willingness To Charge Directors
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's recent fraud charges against Kubient's former CEO, chief financial officer and audit committee chair signal a willingness to be more aggressive against officers and directors, underscoring the need for companies to ensure that they have appropriate channels to gather, investigate and document employee concerns, say attorneys at Jenner & Block.
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$200M RTX Deal Underscores Need For M&A Due Diligence
RTX's settlement with regulators for violating defense export regulations offers valuable compliance lessons, showcasing the perils of insufficient due diligence during mergers and acquisitions transactions along with the need to ensure remediation measures are fully implemented following noncompliance, say Thad McBride and Faith Dibble at Bass Berry.
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A Blueprint For Structuring An Effective Plaintiff Case Story
The number and size of nuclear verdicts continue to rise, in part because plaintiffs attorneys have become more adept at crafting compelling trial stories — and an analysis of these success stories reveals a 10-part framework for structuring an effective case narrative, says Jonathan Ross at Decision Analysis.
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Series
Round-Canopy Parachuting Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Similar to the practice of law, jumping from an in-flight airplane with nothing but training and a few yards of parachute silk is a demanding and stressful endeavor, and the experience has bolstered my legal practice by enhancing my focus, teamwork skills and sense of perspective, says Thomas Salerno at Stinson.
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7 Takeaways For Companies After Justices' Bribery Ruling
The U.S. Supreme Court’s Snyder v. U.S. decision this summer, holding that a federal law does not criminalize after-the-fact gratuities made to public officials, raises some key considerations for companies that engage with state, local and tribal governments, say attorneys at BakerHostetler.
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Why Now Is The Time For Law Firms To Hire Lateral Partners
Partner and associate mobility data from the second quarter of this year suggest that there's never been a better time in recent years for law firms to hire lateral candidates, particularly experienced partners — though this necessitates an understanding of potential red flags, say Julie Henson and Greg Hamman at Decipher Investigative Intelligence.
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Considering Possible PR Risks Of Certain Legal Tactics
Disney and American Airlines recently abandoned certain litigation tactics in two lawsuits after fierce public backlash, illustrating why corporate counsel should consider the reputational implications of any legal strategy and partner with their communications teams to preempt public relations concerns, says Chris Gidez at G7 Reputation Advisory.
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Perspectives
DC Circ. Seizure Ruling Deepens 4th Amendment Circuit Split
The D.C. Circuit’s recent Asinor v. District of Columbia decision, holding that the government’s continued possession of seized property must be reasonable, furthers a split among circuit courts and portends how the text, history and tradition method might influence Fourth Amendment cases, say Ty Howard and Wayne Beckermann at Bradley Arant.
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Integrating ESG Into Risk Management Programs
Amid increasing regulations and reporting requirements for corporate sustainability in the European Union and the U.S., companies might consider how to incorporate environmental, social and governance factors into more formalized risk management, say directors at Alvarez & Marsal.
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It's No Longer Enough For Firms To Be Trusted Advisers
Amid fierce competition for business, the transactional “trusted adviser” paradigm from which most firms operate is no longer sufficient — they should instead aim to become trusted partners with their most valuable clients, says Stuart Maister at Strategic Narrative.
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Vertex Suit Highlights Issues For Pharma Fertility Support
Vertex Pharmaceuticals' recent lawsuit challenging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' interpretation of the Anti-Kickback Statute is influenced by a number of reproductive rights and health equity issues that the Office of Inspector General should address more concretely, including in vitro fertilization and fertility preservation programs, says Mary Kohler at Kohler Health Law.
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5 Lessons From Consulting Firm's Successful DOJ Disclosure
The Boston Consulting Group recently received a rare declination of prosecution from the U.S. Department of Justice after self-disclosing a foreign bribery scheme, and the firm’s series of savvy steps after discovering the misconduct provides useful data points for white collar defense attorneys, says Jonathan Porter at Husch Blackwell.