New York Paralegal Blog

The recent $37.76 Million Settlement with CVS for over-dispensing insulin pens is more than just a large fine; it’s a powerful illustration of the government’s primary weapon against healthcare fraud: The False Claims Act (FCA). This case provides a crucial look into the high-stakes legal framework that protects taxpayer-funded programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE. What Law Was Broken? The False Claims Act (FCA) The core of the CVS settlement is a violation of the Federal False Claims Act (31 U.S.C. §§ 3729-3733). This is the government’s most effective tool for recovering funds lost due to fraud. 1. The Core Violation: A "False Claim" The FCA targets anyone who knowingly submits, or causes to be submitted, a false or fraudulent claim for payment to the U.S. government. This law targets anyone who knowingly submits, or causes to be submitted, a false or fraudulent claim for payment to the U.S. government. In the CVS case, the false claims were rooted in t...

Good news for our communities! Juan Correa Jr., a 31-year-old from Syracuse, was just sentenced to seven years in federal prison. His crimes? Dealing with over 5 kilograms of cocaine and then trying to hide the money he made from those sales. What happened? From May to July 2024, Correa Jr. was caught working with others to sell cocaine right here in Onondaga County. He even admitted to collecting the cash from these drug sales and mailing it all the way to Puerto Rico, where his suppliers would use it to buy even more cocaine. It was a whole system designed to keep the illegal drug trade going. A Team Effort This wasn't a solo effort to catch him, though. U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III and DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III announced that this success was thanks to a massive team effort. Federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the DEA, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Syracuse Police Department, all w...

Indictment Charges the Perez Organization Distributed Heroin Throughout Queens, Nassau, and Suffolk Counties; Stash Houses Located in Brooklyn, Queens, and Roosevelt, New York An indictment was unsealed today in federal court in Central Islip, New York, charging 20 members of the Perez Organization, an alleged district-wide drug trafficking ring, with conspiracy to distribute heroin. According to the indictment and a detention letter filed by the government, the organization’s leadership was centralized in Woodhaven, Queens, with distribution networks in Nassau and Suffolk counties and a storage facility in Brooklyn. The organization’s members were allegedly responsible for distributing over 20 kilograms of heroin, with a street value of at least $2.75 million, to drug dealers in Long Island and Queens during the past nine months.

Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., today announced the indictment of JASON ITZLER, 44, for promoting prostitution and selling illegal drugs through an escort agency he operated called “Rockstar Models & Partygirls.” ITZLER is charged with Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, Promoting Prostitution in the Third Degree, and Money Laundering in the Third and Fourth Degrees.[1]

(openPR) - The Law Offices of James Sokolove (LOJS), dedicated to providing equal access to the civil justice system, sees the stricter medication guides now required by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) on certain arthritis drugs as consumer critical. The FDA took action following the more than 200 reports that associated higher incidences of fungal infections, and even deaths, with the use of four tumor necrosis factor alpha blockers (TNF-alpha blockers) arthritis drugs. “For the over 1 million Americans suffering from rheumatoid arthritis and facing chronic and debilitating pain, drugs, such as these, can help create normalcy in their daily lives,” says Attorney Jim Sokolove, founder of the LOJS. “While the FDA has responded here, consumers must remain highly vigilant themselves, so they can weigh the relief versus the risks imposed in using any drug.” More...