A series of recent high profile prosecutions of attorneys or persons affiliated with law firms for insider trading has highlighted the government’s concern about attorneys and law firm personnel misusing information shared by clients. Law firms, particularly those representing public companies, are entrusted on a regular basis with sensitive information regarding proposed mergers, acquisitions and… Read more »
It is not uncommon in the financial services industry, particularly in matters involving the departure of partners or brokers, for there to be accusations that the departing person has taken with them confidential information. Typically these disputes involve threats of or actual lawsuits and motions for injunctive relief, usually involving client lists and other proprietary… Read more »
On Tuesday, Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell expanded upon DOJ’s new policy focus on pursuing individuals in connection with the prosecution of corporate wrongdoing. Assistant Attorney General Caldwell, speaking to the Second Annual Global Investigations Review Conference in New York, took the opportunity to throw the spotlight on the policy shift that was previously… Read more »
On Monday, two former officials and one broker for the now defunct Peanut Corporation of America (“PCA”) were sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge W. Lewis Sands of the Middle District of Georgia for their roles in a conspiracy to defraud customers by shipping salmonella-positive peanut products. Stewart Parnell, the former owner and president of… Read more »
On Friday, September 18, the medical biller for a Chicago-area visiting physician practice was sentenced to 45 months in prison, by U.S. District Judge Gary Feinerman of the Northern District of Illinois, for her role in a $4 million healthcare fraud scheme. Mary Talaga was convicted in May of this year following a jury trial… Read more »
A securities broker pleaded guilty on Wednesday in the U.S. District Court in Trenton to a securities fraud conspiracy that profited from his use of material inside information stolen from the New York office of a global law firm. Contemporaneous with the plea, the government filed the criminal information detailing the charges, which also included… Read more »
On Thursday, a Houston psychiatrist was convicted of participating in a $158 million Medicare fraud scheme, following a seven day federal jury trial. The charges against Sharon Iglehart, M.D., included conspiracy to commit health care fraud, one individual count of health care fraud and three counts of making false statements related to health care matters…. Read more »
After years of criticism that it failed to prosecute the individuals responsible for the financial crisis, the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) has announced changes to their internal guidelines to focus on the prosecution of individuals in corporate malfeasance cases. At an event at New York University School of Law on Thursday, Deputy Attorney General Sally… Read more »
Recently, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court stayed the Montgomery County District Attorney from acting on a grand jury presentment accusing Attorney General Kathleen Kane of perjury and other offenses in connection with the disclosure of an investigation to a Philadelphia newspaper. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ordered that the Montgomery County District Attorney could not file charges… Read more »
PITTSBURGH and PHILADELPHIA, PA – William Pietragallo, II, founding partner of the law firm of Pietragallo Gordon Alfano Bosick & Raspanti, LLP was selected as a Pittsburgh Top 50 Lawyer by Super Lawyers 2014. Mr. Pietragallo was recognized for his work in Business Litigation. Marc S. Raspanti, name partner in the firm, was selected as… Read more »