In late January 2022, the Federal Reserve released “Money and Payments: The U.S. Dollar in the Age of Digital Transformation,” its much-anticipated discussion paper on central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). In the paper, the Federal Reserve provides a framework and summary of its initial analysis on the potential adoption of a U.S. CBDC
Corporate & Commercial
Will 2022 Be The Year? OIG’s 25 Top Recommendations to Reduce Healthcare Fraud
Every year the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) releases an annual Solutions to Reduce Fraud, Waste, and Abuse in HHS Programs: OIG’s Top Unimplemented Recommendations. HHS released its most recent in Nov. 2021, outlining OIG’s top 25 unimplemented recommendations that, in OIG’s view, would most positively…
Court Allows Superseding Indictment Twelve Days Before Trial, Failing to Find Prosecutorial Vindictiveness
In U.S. v. Georges, 2021 WL 3887183 (S.D. Oh. Aug. 30, 2021), a federal court recently dismissed a defendant’s motion to dismiss a superseding indictment, denying her claim of prosecutorial vindictiveness related to multiple alleged violations of the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute. The defendant, Nicole Georges, was a pharmaceutical representative who coordinated speaking arrangements with physicians…
SEC Focus on Private Fund Advisers Continues With the Publication of Exams Risk Alert
On January 27, 2022, the Division of Examinations (“EXAMS”) of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) published a Risk Alert with its Observations from Examinations of Private Fund Advisers. This Risk Alert is one of a series of signals of the SEC’s focus on private fund advisers under Chairman Gensler, including Form PF amendments…
FinCEN’s Proposed Foreign Affiliate SAR Sharing Program — Key Considerations
On January 25, 2022, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”) solicited commentary regarding its proposed rule that would create a time-limited pilot program to expand the ability of financial institutions to share Suspicious Activity Reports (“SARs”) and SAR-related information. (See 31 U.S.C. § 5318(g)(8)). The proposed program would permit a financial institution with a SAR…
What Significant Russian Sanctions Could Look Like, and How to Prepare
RELATED UPDATES:
New Revelations in Ukraine Lead to Tightening Global Sanctions (April 8, 2022)
Western Companies Starting to Feel Impact of Russian Sanctions (March 24, 2022)
FinCEN Encourages “Increased Vigilance” and Highlights Red Flags for Evasion of Russian Sanctions including Use of Virtual Currency (March 16, 2022)
DOJ Launches “Task Force KleptoCapture” in Response to…
2021 Brought SEC Focus on Crypto Exchanges and Lending Platforms
This past year, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission followed through on its commitment to aggressively enforce securities laws in digital assets markets. As a result, it sharpened its focus on cryptocurrency exchanges and lending products.
Read on for an overview and analysis of SEC activity in cryptocurrency and what to expect in 2022.
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Elizabeth Holmes of Theranos Found Guilty of Making False Representations to Investors
Elizabeth Holmes, founder of Theranos, was convicted of three counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The verdict follows a high-profile, fifteen-week trial in federal court in San Francisco. Holmes was alleged to have defrauded investors, medical professionals, patients, and the public by exaggerating and making false statements about…
Another Circuit Weighs in on the Standard for Evaluating Government Motions to Dismiss False Claims Act Actions
In a recent opinion, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit weighed in on what standard to apply in reviewing government motions to dismiss False Claims Act (FCA) actions. As discussed in detail in a July 2021 Law360 article titled “Tide Is Turning Against FCA Case Dismissals,” a three-way circuit split has developed…
Biden Administration Signals Focus on Cryptocurrency as President’s Working Group Issues Report on Stablecoin
On November 1, 2021, the President’s Working Group on Financial Markets (PWG), along with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) (collectively, the Agencies) issued a Report on Stablecoins (the Report).[1] Stablecoins “are digital assets that are designed to maintain a stable value relative…