After years of waiting, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) posted to the Federal Register for public inspection on September 9, 2025, a final rule implementing the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification 2.0 (CMMC 2.0) standards into the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) (the Final Rule), which was formally published a day later on September
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California Defense Contractor and Private Equity Firm Agree to Pay $1.75M to Resolve False Claims Act Liability Relating to Voluntary Self-Disclosure of Cybersecurity Violations
On July 31, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) announced a $1.75 million False Claims Act (“FCA”) settlement with Aero Turbine Inc. (“Aero Turbine”), a California-based defense contractor, and private equity firm Gallant Capital Partners LLC (“Gallant Capital”). The settlement arises out of allegations that Aero Turbine failed to comply with certain cybersecurity requirements…
DOJ and HHS Reestablish False Claims Act Working Group, Delineate Healthcare Enforcement Priorities
On July 2, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced they will reestablish the DOJ-HHS False Claims Act Working Group. Originally formed in December 2020 at the tail end of the first Trump administration, this partnership focuses on advancing enforcement of the False Claims Act…
Healthcare Fraud Enforcement in a Second Trump Administration: Trends, Priorities, and Implications
On May 12, 2025, the United States Department of Justice’s (“DOJ”) Criminal Division released a major policy memorandum outlining its enforcement priorities for the upcoming year. Unsurprisingly, the number one priority for the Division was investigating and prosecuting white-collar crimes related to waste, fraud, and abuse—and particularly healthcare fraud. This emphasis on prosecuting healthcare fraud…
Supreme Court Declines to Narrow Reach of Federal Fraud Law
On May 22, 2025, the Supreme Court published its opinion in Kousisis v. United States, No. 23-909, 605 U.S. __ (2025), holding that one who induces a victim to enter into a transaction under materially false pretenses may be convicted of federal fraud even without the intent to cause the victim economic loss. In…
FDA to Expand Unannounced Inspections of Foreign Facilities — Manufacturers, Research Firms Should Prepare
On May 6, 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a plan to expand its use of unannounced inspections of foreign manufacturing facilities that produce foods, essential medicines and other medical products intended for American consumers and patients. The FDA stated that this new inspection strategy will ensure that foreign manufacturers receive the…
DOJ Announces Initiative to Use False Claims Act to Investigate DEI Practices
On May 19, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Deputy Attorney General announced its new Civil Rights Fraud Initiative, which aims to use the False Claims Act (FCA) to investigate and pursue claims against entities that tolerate antisemitism, allow men to enter women’s spaces or compete in female athletic competitions, or engage in…
Executive Order Initiates Commercial Focus in Federal Procurement Reform
On April 16, 2025, the Trump Administration issued an Executive Order titled “Ensuring Commercial, Cost-Effective Solutions in Federal Contracts,” which establishes the Administration’s policy of procuring “commercially available products and services, including those that can be modified to fill agencies’ needs, to the maximum extent practicable.” This includes procurements made pursuant to the Federal Acquisition…
DOJ Signals Shift in White Collar Enforcement: New Policies Stress Proportionality, Partnership, and Clarity
In a major policy address delivered yesterday at the Security Industry and Financial Markets Association’s (SIFMA) Anti-Money Laundering and Financial Crimes Conference in Washington, D.C., Matthew Galeotti, Head of the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Criminal Division, announced a significant shift in how DOJ approaches white collar enforcement. The changes reflect a broader recalibration toward…
Restoring Common Sense to Federal Procurement – The White House
On April 15, 2025, the Trump Administration issued an Executive Order titled “Restoring Common Sense to Federal Procurement” that seeks to reform the Federal Acquisition Regulation (“FAR”) and agency-specific supplements to contain only those “provisions required by statute or essential to sound procurement.” Along with a supplemental fact sheet, the Executive Order states that…