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Complaint for Money Damages and Civil Penalties for Violations of the False Claims Act (S.D.N.Y., Dkt. 11)

Summary

A Complaint for Money Damages and Civil Penalties for Violations of the False Claims Act, with a demand for jury trial, filed 06/13/24 as Document 11 in United States of America ex rel. Resolute 3 LLC v. LabQ Clinical Diagnostics, LLC; Community Mobile Testing Inc; Moshe Landau; Daniel Adar; Jacob Weiss; and Does 1-10, Case 1:22-cv-00751-LJL, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York. The complaint alleges that Defendants are perpetrating a fraud on U.S. taxpayers through a scheme to defraud the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), including by failing to ask patients for insurance information and billing HRSA for COVID-19 testing under its program for uninsured persons. Its table of contents lists a First and Second Cause of Action under 31 U.S.C. § 3729(a)(1)(A) and § 3729(a)(1)(B).

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Cite this document

“Complaint for Money Damages and Civil Penalties for Violations of the False Claims Act (S.D.N.Y., Dkt. 11).” Original at archive.org. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/court-filing-no-1-22-cv-00751-dkt-11-s-d-n-y-dd8af2ef0d/, SHA-256 40d8f512fa1cb5fccd0138012ee29d0e330a7e6c3bd6a7e155f67140e4568a6c.

Full text

      Case 1:22-cv-00751-LJL Document 11 Filed 06/13/24 Page 1 of 33




                          UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
                         SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK


UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ex rel.          CASE NO.
[FILED UNDER SEAL],
                                           COMPLAINT FOR MONEY DAMAGES
           Plaintiffs,                     AND CIVIL PENALTIES FOR
                                           VIOLATIONS OF THE FALSE CLAIMS
     v.                                    ACT

[FILED UNDER SEAL],
                                               DEMAND FOR JURY TRIAL
           Defendants.

                                           [FILED IN CAMERA AND UNDER
                                           SEAL PURSUANT TO 31 U.S.C. §
                                           3730(b)(2)]




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      Case 1:22-cv-00751-LJL Document 11 Filed 06/13/24 Page 2 of 33




                          UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
                         SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK


UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ex rel.          CASE NO.
RESOLUTE 3 LLC,
                                           COMPLAINT FOR MONEY DAMAGES
           Plaintiffs,                     AND CIVIL PENALTIES FOR
                                           VIOLATIONS OF THE FALSE CLAIMS
     v.                                    ACT

LABQ CLINICAL DIAGNOSTICS, LLC;
COMMUNITY MOBILE TESTING INC;                  DEMAND FOR JURY TRIAL
MOSHE LANDAU; DANIEL ADAR;
JACOB WEISS; and DOES 1-10.
                                           [FILED IN CAMERA AND UNDER
           Defendants.                     SEAL PURSUANT TO 31 U.S.C. §
                                           3730(b)(2)]




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                                                  TABLE OF CONTENTS
                                                                                                                                      Page No.

I.      INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 1
II.     JURISDICTION AND VENUE ......................................................................................... 3
III.    PARTIES ............................................................................................................................ 3
IV.     STATUTORY BACKGROUND ....................................................................................... 4
        A.         The False Claims Act .............................................................................................. 4
        B.         The Anti-Kickback Statute ..................................................................................... 5
        C.         HRSA Program ....................................................................................................... 6
V.      DEFENDANTS KNOWINGLY VIOLATED THE FEDERAL FALSE CLAIMS
        ACT..................................................................................................................................... 8
        A.         The LABQ Collection and Testing Process ............................................................ 9
        B.         DEFENDANTS avoid collecting patient insurance information and bill HRSA
                   even if patients have insurance. ............................................................................ 11
        C.         LABQ contracts to provide surveillance testing to privately insured nursing
                   home employees, yet bills these tests to HRSA. ................................................... 15
        D.         LABQ bills HRSA for rapid testing even when rapid testing was not performed.
                   ............................................................................................................................... 17
        E.         LABQ illegally bills all patients insured with the NY Medicaid program to
                   HRSA. ................................................................................................................... 19
        F.         LABQ turns mistakes into an opportunity for fraud. ............................................ 19
        G.         LABQ and LANDAU shunned the LABQ Co-CEO when he advocated for an
                   audit of LABQ’s billing practices. ........................................................................ 20
        H.         All levels of management know that “rampant corruption” is occurring. ............ 21
        I.         Defendants rake in money from false billings. ..................................................... 22
VI.     CAUSES OF ACTION ..................................................................................................... 24
        FIRST CAUSE OF ACTION
        On Behalf of the United States Federal False Claims Act, Presenting False Claims
        31 U.S.C. § 3729(a)(1)(A)
        (Against All Defendants) .................................................................................................. 24
        SECOND CAUSE OF ACTION
        On Behalf of the United States Federal False Claims Act, Making or Using False
        Records Material to a False Claim 31 U.S.C. § 3729(a)(1)(B)
        (Against All Defendants) .................................................................................................. 25
VII.    PRAYER FOR RELIEF ................................................................................................... 26
VIII.   DEMAND FOR JURY TRIAL ........................................................................................ 29



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       Plaintiffs UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (“United States”), by and through Relator

RESOLUTE 3 LLC (“RELATOR” or “RESOLUTE 3”), allege as follows:

I.     INTRODUCTION

       1.       LABQ CLINICAL DIAGNOSTICS, LLC (“LABQ”), and LABQ’s Chief

Executive Officer MOSHE LANDAU, LABQ’s Chief Operating Officer DANIEL ADAR,

COMMUNITY MOBILE TESTING INC, a company controlled by LABQ and LANDAU, and

JACOB WEISS, Executive Director of COMMUNITY MOBILE TESTING INC, and DOES 1-

10 (collectively, “DEFENDANTS”), are perpetrating a fraud on U.S. taxpayers through a

scheme designed to defraud the federal government Health Resources and Services

Administration (“HRSA”), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

       2.       In an effort to combat the devastating health and economic consequences of

coronavirus disease 2019 (“COVID-19”), the federal government of the United States has

created a program to provide free testing for COVID-19 to uninsured persons living in the

United States. This program (the “Uninsured Program”) is administered by HRSA.

       3.       In order to participate in the Uninsured Program, medical providers must first

attempt to solicit information about whether or not a patient is insured. If a patient is uninsured,

the medical provider may bill HRSA for reimbursement.

       4.       HRSA reimburses medical providers for COVID-19 testing in a highly lucrative

manner for medical providers as the payments are readily approved. This stands in stark contrast

to how private or government insurance payor process claims. They often delay, request

additional information, or deny payments entirely on claims.

       5.       DEFENDANTS participate in HRSA’s programs. However, DEFENDANTS

violate HRSA requirements by failing to ask patients for their insurance information, failing to




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use alternate standard procedures for verifying patient insurance eligibility, and simply billing

HRSA for reimbursement.

        6.       An enormous number of DEFENDANTS’ patients do, in fact, have insurance, and

HRSA should not have been billed for the services rendered to test for COVID-19.

        7.       By failing to ask patients for insurance or verify patient insurance eligibility, but

certifying that to the best of their knowledge, the patients are uninsured, DEFENDANTS have

made false claims for payment to the federal government.

        8.       Moreover, DEFENDANTS routinely falsely bill HRSA for “rapid” testing, even

though DEFENDANTS fail to turn around test results within the required two calendar days,

which results in false claims for payment.

        9.       In addition, DEFENDANTS have violated the federal Anti-Kickback Statute by

providing surveillance testing to certain nursing homes at no cost in exchange for the referral of

business. These tests are charged to HRSA, despite the fact that the nursing home provides

private insurance to their employees, rendering the nursing home employees ineligible for

participation in HRSA’s Uninsured Program.

        10.      These schemes have proven highly lucrative to DEFENDANTS. LABQ’s

revenue exploded from about $15 million a quarter in 2020 to approximately $175 million per

quarter for each of the last three quarters in 2021, as confirmed by DEFENDANT LANDAU to

two members of RELATOR and to Aaron Domenico, owner of Atlantic Diagnostic Laboratories,

LLC, in October or early November 2021. Domenico said, “If ever there was a whistleblower

case, this is it.”

        11.      This is a qui tam action for violation of the federal False Claims Act (31 U.S.C.

§§ 3150 et seq.) to recover treble damages, civil penalties and attorneys’ fees and costs for




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Plaintiffs and on behalf of the United States for fraudulent claims submitted to HRSA, and for

failure to reimburse HRSA.

        12.     Non-public information personally known to Relator Resolute 3 LLC serves as

the basis for this action.

II.     JURISDICTION AND VENUE

        13.     This Court has jurisdiction over this action pursuant to 31 U.S.C. sections 3730(b)

and 3732(a), which confer jurisdiction on this Court for actions brought under the federal False

Claims Act and authorize nationwide service of process. Venue is proper in this district pursuant

to 31 U.S.C. section 3732(a), as all DEFENDANTS heavily transact business in the Southern

District of New York, and LABQ conducts much of its operations in the Southern District of

New York.

III.    PARTIES

        14.     The plaintiff in this action is the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA by and

through Relator RESOLUTE 3 LLC.

        15.     RELATOR RESOLUTE 3 LLC is a Delaware limited liability company, whose

members have long been involved in the healthcare industry.

        16.     DEFENDANT LABQ CLINICAL DIAGNOSTICS, LLC is a New York limited

liability company.

        17.     DEFENDANT MOSHE LANDAU is the Chief Executive Officer of LABQ.

        18.     DEFENDANT DANIEL ADAR is the Chief Operating Officer of LABQ.

        19.     DEFENDANT COMMUNITY MOBILE TESTING INC is a New York

corporation controlled by LABQ and LANDAU.

        20.     DEFENDANT JACOB WEISS is the Executive Director of COMMUNITY

MOBILE TESTING INC.


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       21.     The true names and capacities of Defendants DOES 1–10, inclusive, are currently

unknown to RELATOR. Each DOE Defendant, individually and collectively, is responsible in

some manner for the unlawful acts alleged herein. RELATOR will seek leave of this Court to

amend this Complaint to reflect the true names and capacities of the DOE Defendants when their

identities become known.

IV.    STATUTORY BACKGROUND

       A.      The False Claims Act

       22.     The Federal False Claims Act (“FCA”), as amended by the Fraud Enforcement

and Recovery Act of 2009 (“FERA”), Pub. L. 111-21, section 4(f), 123 Stat. 1617, 1625 (2009),

provides, in pertinent part, that a person is liable to the United States government for three times

the amount of damages the government sustains because of the act of that person, plus civil

penalties, for each instance in which the person “knowingly presents, or causes to be presented, a

false or fraudulent claim for payment or approval.” 31 U.S.C. § 3729(1)(1)(A).

       23.     The FCA defines the term “claim” to mean “any request or demand, whether

under a contract or otherwise, for money or property and whether or not the United States has

title to the money or property, that (i) is presented to an officer, employee, or agent of the United

States; or (ii) is made to a contractor, grantee, or other recipient, if the money or property is to be

drawn down or used on the Government’s behalf or to advance a Government program or

interest, and if the United States Government (i) provides or has provided any portion of the

money or property requested or demanded; or (ii) will reimburse such contractor, grantee, or

other recipient for any portion of the money or property which is requested or demanded.” Id.

§ 3729(b)(2)(A).

       24.     As amended by FERA, the FCA also makes a person liable to the United States

government for three times the amount of damages which the government sustains because of the


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act of that person, plus a civil penalty, for each instance in which the person “knowingly makes,

uses, or causes to be made or used, a false record or statement material to a false or fraudulent

claim” (id. § 3729(a)(1)(B)), or for each instance in which the person “knowingly conceals or

knowingly and improperly avoids or decreases an obligation to pay or transmit money or

property to the Government.” Id. § 3729(1)(1)(G).

        25.     The FCA defines the terms “knowing” and “knowingly” to mean that a person,

with respect to information: (i) “has actual knowledge of the information”; (ii) “acts in deliberate

ignorance of the truth or falsity of the information”; or (iii) “acts in reckless disregard of the truth

or falsity of the information.” Id. § 3729(b)(1)(A)(i)-(iii). The FCA further provides that “no

proof of specific intent to defraud” is required. Id. § 3729(b)(1)(B).

        B.      The Anti-Kickback Statute

        26.     The federal Anti-Kickback Statute (“AKS”) (see 42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b) is a

criminal statute that prohibits the exchange (or offer to exchange), of anything of value, in an

effort to induce (or reward) the referral of business reimbursable by a federal health care

program.

        27.     The Affordable Care Act, passed in March 2010, made explicit that violations of

the AKS give rise to False Claims Act liability: “a claim that includes items or services resulting

from a violation of [the AKS] constitutes a false or fraudulent claim for purposes of [the False

Claims Act].” Id. § 1320a-7b(g).

        28.     Specifically, the AKS creates liability for “whoever knowingly and willfully

offers or pays any remuneration (including any kickback, bribe, or rebate) directly or indirectly,

overtly or covertly, in cash or in kind to any person to induce such person to refer an individual

to a person for the furnishing or arranging for the furnishing of any item or service for which




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payment may be made in whole or in part under a Federal health care program . . . .” Id. §

1320a-7b(b)(2)(A).

       29.     The term “federal health care program” is defined as “any plan or program that

provides health benefits, whether directly, through insurance, or otherwise, which is funded

directly, in whole or in part, by the United States Government.” Id. § 1320a-7b(f).

       30.     HRSA is a federal health care program for purposes of the AKS, as more fully

described below. Any attempt to induce an individual to furnish an item or service for

reimbursement from HRSA would be a violation of the AKS, which is a per se violation of the

FCA.

       C.      HRSA Program

       31.     HRSA is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

HRSA programs provide equitable health care to people who are geographically isolated and

economically or medically vulnerable. The federal government constructed a program, run by

HRSA, to provide free COVID-19 testing to uninsured individuals.

       32.     HRSA supports health care providers fighting the COVID-19 pandemic through

the COVID-19 Claims Reimbursement to Health Care Providers and Facilities for Testing,

Treatment, and Vaccine Administration for the Uninsured Program (the “Uninsured Program”).

       33.     Funding for the Uninsured Program comes from the following federal sources:

                  a. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act or FFCRA (P.L. 116-127)
                     and the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act
                     or PPPHCEA (P.L. 116-139), which each appropriated $1 billion to
                     reimburse providers for conducting COVID-19 testing for uninsured
                     individuals.
                  b. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (P.L.
                     116-136), which provided $100 billion in relief funds, including to
                     hospitals and other health care providers on the front lines of the COVID-
                     19 response; the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care
                     Enhancement Act or PPPHCEA (P.L. 116-139), which appropriated an
                     additional $75 billion in relief funds; and the Coronavirus Response and


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                         Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSA) (P.L. 116-260), which
                         appropriated an additional $3 billion (collectively, the Provider Relief
                         Fund). Within the Provider Relief Fund, a portion of the funding supports
                         health care-related expenses attributable to COVID-19 testing for the
                         uninsured and treatment of uninsured individuals with COVID-19. A
                         portion of the funding is also used to reimburse providers for
                         administering Food and Drug Administration-authorized or licensed
                         COVID-19 vaccines to uninsured individuals.
                      c. The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA, P.L. 117-2), which
                         allocated funding to reimburse providers for COVID-19 testing of the
                         uninsured.

         34.      Under the Uninsured Program, HRSA reimburses expenses associated with

COVID-19 testing and testing-related items and services, treatment of positive cases of COVID-

19, and vaccine administration claims, for uninsured patients. A patient is considered uninsured

if the patient did not have any health care coverage at the time services were rendered, whether

that insurance derives from private or public markets.1

         35.      Given that HRSA’s Uninsured Program provides health benefits by reimbursing

the cost of COVID-19 testing and administration, and those benefits are funded directly, in

whole or in part, by the United States Government, HRSA’s Uninsured Program operates as a

federal health care program for the purposes of the AKS and FCA.

         36.      A medical provider applying for reimbursement from the Uninsured Program

must agree to HRSA’s Terms and Conditions, attached hereto as EXHIBIT A. The applicant

must certify that “to the best of its knowledge, the patients identified on the claim form were

Uninsured Individuals at the time the services were provided.” See EXHIBIT A at p. 3.



1
  HRSA, “FAQs for COVID-19 Claims Reimbursement to Health Care Providers and Facilities for Testing,
Treatment and Vaccine Administration,” available at https://www.hrsa.gov/coviduninsuredclaim/frequently-asked-
questions. See also The Families First Coronavirus Response Act or FFCRA (P.L. 116-127) (“The term ‘uninsured
individual’ in this paragraph means an individual who is not enrolled in—(1) a Federal health care program . . . or
(2) a group health plan or health insurance coverage offered by a health insurance issuer in the group or individual
market.”); Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act or PPPHCEA (P.L. 116-139) (“[U]p to
$1,000,000,000 of funds provided under this paragraph in this Act may be used to cover the cost of testing for the
uninsured, using the definitions applicable to funds provided under this heading in Public Law 116–127.”)


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        37.      HRSA reimburses at rates pegged to Medicare.2 Medicare reimburses up to $125

per COVID-19 test: $75 for the base test (CPT 87635), $25 for expedited service (HCPCS code

U0005), and $25 for specimen collection (HCPCS code C9803; or HCPCS G2023; or HCPCS

code G2024).3 HRSA requires two claims for full reimbursement—one claim to cover the base

test and expedited service, if applicable, and a second claim for specimen collection.

V.      DEFENDANTS KNOWINGLY VIOLATED THE FEDERAL FALSE CLAIMS
        ACT

        38.      LABQ collects patient specimens for COVID-19 testing at a range of facilities in

New York and New Jersey, including mobile vans, temporary street stands, pharmacies,

municipal sites and nursing homes. COMMUNITY MOBILE TESTING INC carries out the

operations at mobile vans used as specimen collection sites.

        39.      The majority of LABQ’s patients are walkups to their mobile sites, which line the

streets of New York and New Jersey.

        40.      As with all clinical labs, a tremendous number of LABQ’s patients have health

insurance. The US Census Bureau reported in 2020 that only 8.6% of people in America did not

have health insurance at any point during the year, and that the percentage of people with health

insurance for all or part of 2020 was 91.4 %.4

//

//

//

2
  HRSA, “FAQs for COVID-19 Claims Reimbursement to Health Care Providers and Facilities for Testing,
Treatment and Vaccine Administration,” available at https://www.hrsa.gov/coviduninsuredclaim/frequently-asked-
questions.
3
  CMS Rulings dated January 1, 2021, available at https://www.cms.gov/files/document/cms-ruling-2020-1-r2.pdf;
see also CMS.gov, “CMS Changes Medicare Payment to Support Faster COVID-19 Diagnostic Testing” dated Oct
15, 2021, available at https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-changes-medicare-payment-support-
faster-covid-19-diagnostic-testing.
4
  United States Census Bureau, “Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2020,” available at
https://bit.ly/32vcjP4.


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       A.      The LABQ Collection and Testing Process

       41.     Any patient seeking testing can walk up to a LABQ mobile testing site. The

mobile testing sites are owned by LABQ, branded as LABQ, and operated by COMMUNITY

MOBILE TESTING INC.

       42.     COMMUNITY MOBILE TESTING INC personnel operate the LABQ mobile

testing sites and act under the direction of DEFENDANTS WEISS.

       43.     WEISS and COMMUNITY MOBILE TESTING INC each act at the direction of

DEFENDANT LANDAU and LABQ. A former officer of LABQ (the “LABQ Co-CEO”)

observed that LANDAU gave instructions to WEISS regarding COMMUNITY MOBILE

TESTING INC’s operations and business strategy.

       44.     A patient “checks in” to a LABQ mobile site by arriving at a testing location and

scanning a QR code on their cell phone. A copy of the QR code is attached hereto as EXHIBIT

B.

       45.     The QR code directs the patient to a landing page that asks for only two pieces of

data—the patient’s phone number and date of birth. A copy of the landing page is attached

hereto as EXHIBIT C.

       46.     After the patient inputs that information, the patient is directed to a lengthier

intake page that with sections for additional information, including, among other things, name,

address, and insurance information. At the top of the insurance information section is a box to

check with words in bold that say, “I don’t have Insurance.” A screenshot of the lengthier

intake page appears below, with the bolded language highlighted, and is attached hereto as

EXHIBIT D.




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       47.     Alternately, the personnel at the mobile testing site provide patients with a

COVID-19 requisition form, attached hereto as EXHIBIT E. Although there is a space to input

insurance information, employees routinely do not ask for this information, nor is insurance

information required for the form to be considered complete, as discussed more fully below. A

LABQ or COMMUNITY MOBILE TESING INC employee completes the form, which will

eventually be submitted to HRSA for reimbursement.




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        48.      At the testing site, a LABQ or COMMUNITY MOBILE TESING INC technician

collects a nasal swab from a patient. The sample is then transported to one of LABQ’s labs in

New York or New Jersey. COMMUNITY MOBILE TESING INC or a courier transports

samples collected from their mobile vans back to LABQ for testing.

        49.      LABQ performs a polymerase chain reaction (“PCR”) test on the specimen. A

PCR test is a molecular test that analyzes one’s “upper respiratory specimen, looking for genetic

material (ribonucleic acid or RNA) of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.”5

        B.       DEFENDANTS avoid collecting patient insurance information and bill
                 HRSA even if patients have insurance.

        50.      HRSA regulations require an entity submitting claims to HRSA to certify that “to

the best of its knowledge, the patients identified on the claim form were Uninsured Individuals.”6

        51.      LABQ and COMMUNITY MOBILE TESTING INC routinely avoid asking

about insurance information or refuse to accept it even when offered. LABQ and

COMMUNITY MOBILE TESTING INC do not require inputting insurance information on

intake forms. If patients volunteer that they have insurance, they are told the insurance

information is not necessary. Patients are often instructed by LABQ or COMMUNITY

MOBILE TESTING INC personnel to falsely indicate on LABQ or COMMUNITY MOBILE

TESTING INC’s registration form that they do not have insurance.

        52.      Several witnesses attested at LABQ/ COMMUNITY MOBILE TESTING INC

mobile sites that they had insurance and were essentially told “not to bother” inputting it.




5
  Cleveland Clinic, “COVID-19 and PCR Testing,” available at
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/21462-covid-19-and-pcr-testing.
6
  HRSA, “Terms and Conditions for Participation in the HRSA COVID-19 Claims Reimbursement to Health Care
Providers and Facilities for Testing, Treatment, and Vaccine Administration for the Uninsured Program,” available
at https://www.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/hrsa/provider-relief/uninsured-program-terms-and-conditions-6-21.pdf.


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        53.      For example, one witness with private insurance visited a mobile site located in

the Meatpacking District in New York City for a COVID-19 test in August 2021. Her statement

is as follows:

        “I was told to go to this location by my office because my co-workers let me know
        it wasn't through insurance and free of charge. When I reached the front of the line,
        the technician handed me an iPad to register and complete the demographic
        information requested. It asked for my name, phone number and email contact only.
        I then asked about insurance information because I didn't want to receive a bill from
        the lab. He confirmed that would not be necessary and to only answer the general
        questions listed. After filling out the information, he said I could receive a rapid
        test on site and a PCR test at no charge. For the rapid test, the results were available
        in about 15 minutes and for the PCR I would hear back within 48 hours - all results
        sent via text. Following the tests, I would periodically log on to my medical
        insurance portal and check for any processed claim from LABQ testing services. A
        claim was never submitted to my insurance.”

        54.      Another witness, DG1, went to a mobile testing site in mid-December. While

standing in line for testing, DG1 “overheard the woman behind me remark to the LABQ staff

member that although she had insurance, she did not have her insurance card with her. Without

hesitation, the staff member instructed her to click the ‘I do not have insurance’ option’ [on the

mobile requisition form]. After clicking that she did not have insurance, she was able to get

tested for COVID-19.”

        55.      A member of RELATOR had a personal conversation with another Witness DG2

(a veteran in the clinical lab industry with over 30+ years working for several lab companies).

DG2’s son, a full-time employee with medical benefits, visited a LABQ site and was advised to

indicate that he had no insurance, despite the fact that he did have insurance, and he was

prepared to provide his insurance card. The reply from the LABQ technician was, “Don’t worry

about it.”

        56.      A member of RELATOR, who is privately insured, also personally visited a

LABQ mobile testing site on January 25, 2022. He asked a technician how the registration



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process worked, and she handed him a business card with a QR code in the front. A screenshot of

the QR code is attached as EXHIBIT B. He told her he had medical insurance, but not with him.

She said, "That’s no problem, all testing is free of charge, and you don't need to provide proof of

insurance." At that point, she was getting ready to leave and was unable to provide a test, so he

asked if he could stop by the next day. She replied that he could go to any mobile site as they all

follow the same protocols.

       57.     LABQ knows that its employees fail to collect insurance information.

DEFENDANT ADAR, LABQ’s COO, and Esther Wurzberger, LABQ’s Billing Manager, both

confirmed to the LABQ Co-CEO that insurance information is rarely asked of patients at the

mobile vans. One stated reason was that the employees are “too busy.” Long lines of patients

wanting COVID-19 testing are often stretched down the block from the mobile vans.

       58.     Being “too busy” is not a valid justification for failing to collect insurance

information. If a company is “too busy,” loses paperwork, forgets, or otherwise fails to collect

insurance information, standard industry practice requires verifying patient insurance eligibility

through a third-party portal, such as TevixMD or FrontRunnerHC. These third parties use

available patient information, such as name, date of birth or contact information, to ascertain

whether a patient has insurance.

       59.     Attached as EXHIBIT F is a picture of a LABQ line reaching down the block.

Attached as EXHIBIT G is a picture of a competitor 100 yards away from the LABQ line with a

single patient. One witness told a member of RELATOR that LABQ’s lines are always long

because LABQ does not collect insurance information.

       60.     Claims of patients with insurance are fraudulently billed to HRSA.




                                                 13
        Case 1:22-cv-00751-LJL Document 11 Filed 06/13/24 Page 17 of 33




       61.     Below is a screenshot of LABQ’s billing information for a “Witness Jane,” also

attached in larger format as EXHIBIT H. Witness Jane has private insurance through Aetna, but

the claim was billed to HRSA, as shown in column 3 of the billing data. HRSA reimbursed $100

on the claim, as shown in column 9 of the billing data. HRSA reimburses claims for a base test

and expedited service jointly but requires a separate claim for specimen collection. Given that

LABQ enters one line for every claim reimbursement, this entry means that HRSA reimbursed

LABQ for this witness’s base test and expedited service.




       62.     DEFENDANTS knew or should have known that Witness Jane had private

insurance. They could have asked her. They did not.

       63.     If DEFENDANTS failed to collect her insurance information, they could have

found out Witness Jane had insurance information anyway by using TevixMD, FrontRunnerHC,

or another third-party provider to verify her insurance information. They did not.

       64.     Determining front-end insurance eligibility is standard practice in the laboratory

industry in order to avoid costly claim denials. “Clean” claims are aways a laboratory’s primary

objective. LABQ neither asks for insurance nor sends in clean claims.




                                                14
          Case 1:22-cv-00751-LJL Document 11 Filed 06/13/24 Page 18 of 33




        65.      Attached as EXHIBIT I is a LABQ test report for Patient John. It says that

Patient John’s sample was collected on December 17, 2021, and that his test results were

reported on December 21, 2021. Patient John’s specimen was actually collected December 16,

2021. During his intake, Patient John provided LABQ with his private insurance information

from Independence Blue Cross.

        66.      Attached as EXHIBIT J is Patient John’s private insurance claims information

portal from Independence Blue Cross, which queries all claims submitted to his private insurance

from October 24, 2021 to January 24, 2022. A claim for payment on his test has never been

submitted to Independence Blue Cross. The claim for payment on Patient John’s test was

submitted to HRSA.

        C.       LABQ contracts to provide surveillance testing to privately insured nursing
                 home employees, yet bills these tests to HRSA.

        67.      On May 10, 2020, then Governor Andrew M. Cuomo signed Executive Order

202.30, to require all nursing homes to test personnel for COVID-19 in conformity with

guidelines issued by the Commissioner on Health.7

        68.      From approximately May 2020 to July 2021, LABQ received specimens from

nursing homes and tested their personnel for COVID-19 twice per week. These nursing home

employees had private insurance information, which LABQ failed to collect, or collected and

ignored. Instead, LABQ billed all nursing home claims to HRSA.

        69.      In providing testing services to nursing homes, LABQ effectuated a cunning

kickback scheme, in violation of the AKS and FCA. At the time, mandatory reimbursement for




7
 Executive Order of Governor Andrew Cuomo, No. 202.30, available at
https://www.governor.ny.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/EO202.30.pdf.


                                                       15
          Case 1:22-cv-00751-LJL Document 11 Filed 06/13/24 Page 19 of 33




COVID-19 testing did not cover surveillance testing.8 The nursing homes’ owner,

DEFENDANT LANDAU’s brother, did not want to incur the cost of weekly testing, so he

engaged LANDAU to provide surveillance testing and bill the tests to HRSA. In exchange for

his brother’s referral of government-payor business, LANDAU’s brother got free testing for his

nursing homes, and LABQ got increased HRSA revenue.

        70.      This is “knowingly and willfully offer[ing] or pay[ing] any remuneration

(including any kickback, bribe, or rebate) directly or indirectly, overtly or covertly, in cash or in

kind to any person to induce such person to refer an individual to a person for the furnishing or

arranging for the furnishing of any item or service for which payment may be made in whole or

in part under a Federal health care program” in violation of the AKS, which is a per se violation

of the FCA. 42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b.

        71.      The LABQ Co-CEO was told by DEFENDANT LANDAU, CEO of LABQ, that

the arrangement with the nursing homes is that “they will never be billed (the nursing homes) for

Covid tests and there will be zero cost to anyone.” LANDAU knew about and directed the

kickback scheme.

        72.      There were alternate, cost-effective means of providing surveillance testing for

nursing home employees. One of the members of RELATOR operated another New York based

Clinical Laboratory, ENZO Biochem, Inc. (“ENZO”), which provided testing to nursing homes.



8
  A June 2020 bulletin prepared jointly by the Department of Labor (DOL), the Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS), and the Department of the Treasury, made it this clear that private insurers were not required to
reimburse for surveillance testing. See https://www.cms.gov/files/document/FFCRA-Part-43-FAQs.pdf. Relevant
text is as follows:
          “Is COVID-19 testing for surveillance or employment purposes required to be covered under section 6001
          of the FFCRA? No. Section 6001 of the FFCRA requires coverage of items and services only for
          diagnostic purposes as outlined in this guidance…However, testing conducted to screen for general
          workplace health and safety (such as employee “return to work” programs), for public health surveillance
          for SARS-CoV-2, or for any other purpose not primarily intended for individualized diagnosis or treatment
          of COVID-19 or another health condition is beyond the scope of section 6001 of the FFCRA.”


                                                        16
          Case 1:22-cv-00751-LJL Document 11 Filed 06/13/24 Page 20 of 33




The nursing homes negotiated a reasonable fee with a contracted service provider, which in turn

utilized ENZO’s services.

        73.      One nursing home involved in this scheme is Hempstead Park, located at 800

Front St, Hempstead, NY 11550.

        74.      Hempstead Park offers private insurance to its employees through Union 1199’s

insurance plan. The personnel and billing records from Hempstead Park, and other nursing

homes that did business with DEFENDANTS, will show that the nursing home employees tested

by LABQ had private insurance, but their claims were submitted to HRSA for reimbursement.

        75.      EXHIBIT H contains the claim reimbursement information for one of the nursing

home employees at Hempstead Park whose claim for reimbursement on COVID-19 testing was

fraudulently submitted to HRSA. The patient was privately insured by Aetna.9

        76.      The LABQ Co-CEO estimates that the nursing home scheme resulted in $75,000

to $100,000 in additional revenue to LABQ every month for the duration of the scheme.

        77.      Billing HRSA for surveillance testing for privately insured patients who work at

nursing homes is improper. HRSA’s program is only to be used for uninsured individuals; any

submission of a claim to HRSA for an insured individual is a false claim.

        D.       LABQ bills HRSA for rapid testing even when rapid testing was not
                 performed.

        78.      LABQ routinely billed HRSA for rapid testing, even when rapid testing was not

performed. As described, HRSA pays $25 for expedited service (HCPCS code U0005).




9
 This particular nursing home employee does not use the private insurance offered by her employer, but she does
have private insurance.


                                                       17
         Case 1:22-cv-00751-LJL Document 11 Filed 06/13/24 Page 21 of 33




        79.      To qualify for rapid testing reimbursement, a laboratory must complete testing

within “two calendar days of the specimen being collected.”10

        80.      LABQ’s failure to report tests in a timely manner was so notorious that it attracted

the attention of the New York Attorney General. On December 20, 2021, the Office of the

Attorney General sent LABQ a letter stating that the Office was aware of patients waiting over

96 hours for test results when LABQ advertised rapid testing and demanding that LABQ change

its advertising to reflect true turnaround times. See EXHIBIT K. The New York Attorney

General had no knowledge of the related problem that LABQ was improperly billing HRSA for

rapid testing.

        81.      LABQ changed its website to note that delays were possible due to high demand

for testing services to pacify the New York Attorney General. Yet even when LABQ failed to

report rapid test results, LABQ continued to bill HRSA for rapid tests.

        82.      When LABQ failed to deliver test results within two days, it would deliberately

falsify records submitted to HRSA, lying that it had provided test results within two days.

        83.      Attached as EXHIBIT L is a picture of a massive backlog of specimens awaiting

testing at a LABQ testing site, taken in December 2021. The LABQ Co-CEO had a conversation

with LABQ Billing Supervisor John Terico regarding these specimens. Mr. Terico told the

LABQ Co-CEO that even though LABQ had a backlog of over 70,000 specimens which did not

qualify for rapid billing, HRSA would be billed for rapid testing on those specimens.




10
  CMS.gov, “CMS Changes Medicare Payment to Support Faster COVID-19 Diagnostic Testing” dated Oct 15,
2021, available at https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-changes-medicare-payment-support-faster-
covid-19-diagnostic-testing.


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            Case 1:22-cv-00751-LJL Document 11 Filed 06/13/24 Page 22 of 33




        E.       LABQ illegally bills all patients insured with the NY Medicaid program to
                 HRSA.

        84.      LABQ does not have a NY Medicaid license and legally cannot bill Medicaid for

tests performed on Medicaid patients.11 However, rather than send these patients to a Medicaid

licensed lab and lose a revenue opportunity,12 Defendants falsely claim that Medicaid patients do

not have insurance, and fraudulently bill HRSA for services rendered to Medicaid insurance

patients.

        85.      The LABQ Co-CEO estimates that this false billing amounts to approximately

30% of LABQ’s COVID-19 revenue.

        F.       LABQ turns mistakes into an opportunity for fraud.

        86.      During the collection process, a sample may inadvertently be lost. LABQ will

run a test on a fake sample and bill the sample to HRSA.

        87.      In October 2021, the LABQ Co-CEO personally witnessed the LABQ Manager

for COMMUNITY MOBILE TESTING INC, “Eilona,” instruct an employee to “re-accession” a

sample—that is, with a lost sample, pull a patient specimen from storage that has already been

tested and reported as negative, and re-test the specimen in place of the true, lost specimen, so

that the specimen can be billed to HRSA. This egregious conduct may result in the reporting of

false negative results, exposing anyone the patient comes into contact with to a contagious

disease, and failing to alert a patient who is actually positive that he/she may need treatment.

//

//


11
   See 42 C.F.R. § 455.410. See also LabQ’s Accreditation & Licensing webpage, which does not list Medicaid as
an available license, available at https://labq.com/about/accreditation-licensing.
12
   There are many Medicaid providers in the New York Metro area, including but not limited to: Affinity Health
Plan, Inc.; Health Insurance Plan of Greater New York, Inc. (HIP); Healthfirst, Inc.; HealthPlus HP, LLC;
MetroPlus Health Plan, Inc.; New York Quality Healthcare Corporation; UnitedHealthcare of New York, Inc.; and
WellCare of New York, Inc.


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         Case 1:22-cv-00751-LJL Document 11 Filed 06/13/24 Page 23 of 33




       G.      LABQ and LANDAU shunned the LABQ Co-CEO when he advocated for an
               audit of LABQ’s billing practices.

       88.     The LABQ Co-CEO joined LABQ in September 2021.

       89.     By mid-October 2021, the LABQ Co-CEO learned of an audit request from Blue

Cross Blue Shield (“BCBS”). BCBS requested that LABQ audit five patients’ records to see if

any had been improperly billed to HRSA. Three of the five patients had been improperly billed.

LABQ reimbursed HRSA for the billing on those three patients.

       90.     The LABQ Co-CEO was alarmed and requested a wider audit of around 20,000

patients. Attached as EXHIBIT M is an email from the LABQ Co-CEO to DEFENDANT

LANDAU, stating, “I took the liberty to call a friend of mine that owns a billing company in

India. They will take 20,000 patients that we billed to HRSA and look and see if they have or

had insurance. The above is a proposal.”

       91.     DEFENDANT LANDAU replied, “We should only send a new list for Dec to

Feb, will explain you tomorrow the situation we have with the current billing company, thx”

       92.     The LABQ Co-CEO initially felt hopeful that DEFENDANT LANDAU would

engage in a wider audit, but it quickly became clear that LANDAU had no intention of doing so.

The LABQ Co-CEO followed up dozens of times, often in person. DEFENDANT LANDAU

would avoid the conversation, saying, “Let’s talk about this another time; I’m too busy.” This

shows that DEFENDANT LANDAU was well aware of a fraudulent billing scheme with HRSA

but refused to take any corrective action.

       93.     Shortly after raising the specter of a billing audit, the LABQ Co-CEO was locked

out of access to billing and other database systems. He learned that employees were told they did

not need to listen to him and to cover their computer screens when he walked by. Powerless to

act, the LABQ Co-CEO resigned rather than participate in these fraudulent billing practices.



                                               20
        Case 1:22-cv-00751-LJL Document 11 Filed 06/13/24 Page 24 of 33




       H.      All levels of management know that “rampant corruption” is occurring.

       94.     DEFENDANTS are aware that LABQ is filled with “rampant corruption.”

       95.     LABQ’s Billing Manager, Esther Wurzberger spoke openly with the LABQ Co-

CEO about improper HRSA billing. She told the LABQ Co-CEO that she would be the first

witness in a whistleblower lawsuit, because she personally witnessed improper billing to HRSA.

       96.     LABQ’s Chief Operating Officer, DEFENDANT ADAR, also confirmed that

LABQ improperly billed Medicaid patients to HRSA. In October 2021, ADAR told the LABQ

Co-CEO that DEFENDANT LANDAU had been experiencing chest pains because the company

might be investigated for improper billing. Multiple times, in or around October 2021, the

LABQ Co-CEO asked ADAR why LABQ was falsely billing HRSA, and ADAR dismissed his

concerns, responding: “Don’t worry about it—we’ll get it corrected.” The LABQ Co-CEO

observed that LABQ continued to falsely bill HRSA following this conversation with ADAR.

ADAR was knowingly complicit in the scheme.

       97.     LABQ Billing Supervisor John Terico confirmed to the LABQ Co-CEO that it

was LABQ’s policy not to ask for patients’ insurance information at van testing sites.

       98.     LABQ’s former IT Manager, Ben Fallon wrote the following in a resignation

email of December 7, 2021, which the LABQ Co-CEO received by text message:

       “I regret to inform you that I am no longer able to fill the role of IT Director at LABQ
       Diagnostics. It is, and has been for many months, apparent that the moral and ethical
       code of the company and its ownership does not meet my personally higher standards and
       I can no longer sit idly by and watch people who I care dearly and deeply about be
       abused and suffer due to the rampant corruption and unprofessionalism that I have
       experienced since April.” He also cited the “constant protection of toxic, corrupt or
       simply incompetent employees.”

       99.     JACOB WEISS, Executive Director of COMMUNITY MOBILE TESTING INC,

was responsible for training remote employees on how to collect samples. WEISS was also

responsible for ensuring COMMUNITY MOBILE TESTING INC’s compliance with laws and


                                               21
         Case 1:22-cv-00751-LJL Document 11 Filed 06/13/24 Page 25 of 33




regulations. He was intimately familiar with the requirement to collect insurance, but

deliberately failed to train people to do so. The LABQ Co-CEO had many conversations with

WEISS regarding collecting insurance in September, October and November of 2021. Each

time, instead of engaging meaningfully, WEISS would get up and leave.

       I.      Defendants rake in money from false billings.

       100.    LABQ is processing an average daily volume of 15,000 specimens per day. At

$125 per specimen, this averages to $675 million in annual revenue. Most of this revenue was

fraudulently obtained by improperly billing the federal government for insured patients.

       101.    LANDAU confirmed to two members of RELATOR, and a New York lab owner

Aaron Domenico, that the company has collected $175,000,000 from COVID-19 testing in each

of the last three quarters. LANDAU even showed Domenico bank statements confirming

LABQ’s cash receipts. This is consistent with the numbers cited above.

       102.    The benefits to LABQ of falsely billing HRSA for individuals with insurance are

significant. First, it generates revenue more quickly for LABQ because HRSA’s reimbursement

processing times are shorter than those with insurance.

       103.    Second, LABQ benefits from billing HRSA because this system results in

decreased expenses. Routinely processing reimbursement statements for one payor is less

complicated and utilizes fewer human capital resources than billing the proper payors. Insurance

payors frequently ask for additional information before paying, and, unlike HRSA, often deny

claims. In short, it is exceedingly faster, easier and cheaper to bill HRSA than bill any other

insurance provider. There is less paperwork and virtually no rejections.

       104.    LABQ has constructed hiring practices around the easy revenue generation

provided by HRSA. LABQ contracts for its billing data entry needs through a company in

Ukraine that is owned by DEFENDANT LANDAU. The LABQ Co-CEO has observed that


                                                22
          Case 1:22-cv-00751-LJL Document 11 Filed 06/13/24 Page 26 of 33




LABQ has only 4 billing full time employees who are responsible for responding to all insurance

correspondence and rejections.

        105.     Members of RELATOR, with decades of experience in the lab industry, note that

it would be impossible for these people to handle even a small fraction of non-HRSA billing

rejections with other insurance payors. ENZO, another New York based clinical laboratory, has

but 10% of LABQ’s annual revenue ($70 million), yet it also has 1,000% as many billing clerks

(40). Like LABQ, ENZO has all billing data entry performed offshore, but must staff 40 billing

employees to manage correspondence and rejections from insurance payors. Healthcare data

industry leader XIFIN estimates that approximately “40% of laboratory claims are known to

have missing or inaccurate information,”13 which then must be addressed by billing experts.

        106.     If those numbers hold true here, by billing HRSA, LABQ avoids administrative

costs associated with delays or rejections of payment on up to 40% of its claims. LABQ is able

to generate hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue by pumping high volume claims to a

federal agency that, in the midst of a pandemic, has been willing to rubberstamp payment.

        107.     LABQ’s practices cause an enormous cost to federal health care system as a

whole. LABQ’s revenues increased from $15 million per quarter in 2020 to approximately $175

million in each of the last three quarters. This revenue increase was driven largely by HRSA

reimbursement for COVID-19 testing.

        108.     DEFENDANT LANDAU has personally benefitted from this scheme as well.

LANDAU owns a significant share of LABQ. He has taken profits out of LABQ and used those

profits to invest in real estate. LANDAU, in his personal capacity, has bought other labs in



13
  XIFIN, “The Executive’s Guide to Measuring Total Cost of Billing in the Laboratory,” p. 3, available for
download at https://www.xifin.com/resources/white-papers/executives-guide-measuring-total-cost-billing-
laboratory.


                                                        23
         Case 1:22-cv-00751-LJL Document 11 Filed 06/13/24 Page 27 of 33




Harlem, Texas and Florida. He also directed the LABQ Co-CEO to look up target investments in

complementary lab service companies, such as in toxicology, anatomic pathology, and genetics.

VI.    CAUSES OF ACTION

                                 FIRST CAUSE OF ACTION
                                On Behalf of the United States
                       Federal False Claims Act, Presenting False Claims
                                   31 U.S.C. § 3729(a)(1)(A)

                                     (Against All Defendants)

       109.      RELATOR incorporates by reference and realleges all of the allegations

contained in paragraphs 1 through 108 of this Complaint as though fully set forth herein.

       110.      DEFENDANTS knowingly (as defined in 31 U.S.C. § 3729(b)(1)) presented or

caused to be presented false claims for payment or approval to an officer or employee of the

United States.

       111.      These claims were false because, inter alia:

                    a. DEFENDANTS submitted claims to HRSA for patients with insurance.

                    b. DEFENDANTS submitted claims for reimbursement for tests that were

                        procured by means of, or otherwise involved, the payment of illegal

                        kickbacks.

                    c. DEFENDANTS submitted claims for reimbursement for “rapid tests”

                        even when rapid tests were not performed.

       112.      DEFENDANTS knowingly caused to be presented false records and statements,

including but not limited to bills, invoices, requests for reimbursement, and records of services,

in order to obtain payment or approval of charges by HRSA, which should have been obtained

by private or public insurers. As described herein, DEFENDANTS were aware that LABQ had a




                                                  24
          Case 1:22-cv-00751-LJL Document 11 Filed 06/13/24 Page 28 of 33




policy and practice of making false claims for payment, yet DEFENDANTS continued to submit

such claims.

         113.   The conduct of DEFENDANTS violated 31 U.S.C. § 3729(a)(1)(A) and was a

substantial factor in causing the United States to sustain damages in an amount according to

proof.

         114.   Wherefore, RELATOR prays for relief as further set forth below.

                                SECOND CAUSE OF ACTION

                              On Behalf of the United States
    Federal False Claims Act, Making or Using False Records Material to a False Claim
                                31 U.S.C. § 3729(a)(1)(B)

                                     (Against All Defendants)


         115.   RELATOR incorporates by reference and reallege all of the allegations contained

in paragraphs 1 through 114 of this Complaint as though fully set forth herein.

         116.   DEFENDANTS knowingly (as defined in 31 U.S.C. § 3729(b)(1)) made, used, or

caused to be made or used, a false record or statement material to a false or fraudulent claim.

         117.   Those records or statements were false because, inter alia:

                   a. DEFENDANTS certified to the best of their knowledge, the patients did

                       not have insurance, when in fact the DEFENDANTS never asked about

                       insurance information or deliberately ignored the information they were

                       provided;

                   b. DEFENDANTS created records or statements procured by means of, or

                       otherwise involving, the payment of illegal kickbacks; and

                   c. DEFENDANTS represented that “rapid testing” had been performed when

                       it had not.



                                                 25
           Case 1:22-cv-00751-LJL Document 11 Filed 06/13/24 Page 29 of 33




       118.    DEFENDANTS knowingly made, used, or caused to be made or used false

records and statements, including but not limited to bills, invoices, requests for reimbursement,

and records of services, which were material to a false or fraudulent claim for payment or

approval of charges by HRSA.

       119.    The conduct of DEFENDANTS violated 31 U.S.C. § 3729(a)(1)(B) and was a

substantial factor in causing the United States to sustain damages in an amount according to

proof. The United States relied on DEFENDANTS’ false representations in making payment on

DEFENDANTS’ claims.

       120.    Wherefore, RELATOR prays for relief as further set forth below.

VII.   PRAYER FOR RELIEF

       WHEREFORE, Plaintiffs by and through RELATOR, pray judgment in its favor and

against DEFENDANTS as follows:

       1.      DEFENDANTS’ conduct violated the Federal False Claims Act, and such

conduct was a substantial factor in causing the United States to sustain damages in an amount

according to proof. That judgment be entered in favor of plaintiffs UNITED STATES OF

AMERICA, ex rel. RESOLUTE 3 LLC, and against DEFENDANTS, according to proof, as

follows:

       a.      On the First Cause of Action (Presenting or Causing to Be Presented False

               Claims (31 U.S.C. § 3729(a)(1)(A))), damages as provided by 31 U.S.C. §

               3729(a)(1), in the amount of:

               i.     Triple the amount of damages sustained by the Government;

               ii.    Civil penalties of Eleven Thousand Dollars ($11,000) for each false claim;

               iii.   Recovery of costs;

               iv.    Pre- and post-judgment interest; and


                                                26
Case 1:22-cv-00751-LJL Document 11 Filed 06/13/24 Page 30 of 33
       Case 1:22-cv-00751-LJL Document 11 Filed 06/13/24 Page 31 of 33



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                                      28
Case 1:22-cv-00751-LJL Document 11 Filed 06/13/24 Page 32 of 33
      Case 1:22-cv-00751-LJL Document 11 Filed 06/13/24 Page 33 of 33



Wil;loitry?:1,2U22          CIITCEEIT PITND & MCCAPiTEY, LLP


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