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Monday, May 28, 2012

Preferred Loans And Other Illicit Payments That Are Offered to a Foreign Government Official to Obtain a Government Contract May Be Considered a Bribe or Kickback Under the FCPA: China Natural Gas, Inc. and Qinan Ji: Lit. Rel. No. 22368 / May 14, 2012

There are a Variety of Complicated Illicit Payment, Illegal Kickback, and Bribe Schemes That Can Be The Basis of a Bribe or Illegal Kickback Under Foreign Corrupt Practices Act - by International Illegal Loan Whistleblower Lawyer Jason S. Coomer

There are a variety of procurement fraud illegal bribery schemes, illegal kickback schemes, and illicit payment schemes.  These illegal government procurement schemes include simple cash bribes paid to a government official for a government procurement contract to elaborate illegal kickback and loans schemes paid through multiple agents, relatives, corporations, foreign banks, and slush funds.

Below is a recent SEC Foreign Corrupt Practices Act case regarding an illegal bribery scheme that involved illegal loans and a sham borrower.


China Natural Gas, Inc. and Qinan Ji: Lit. Rel. No. 22368 / May 14, 2012: Securities and Exchange Commission v. China Natural Gas, Inc. and Qinan Ji, United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (Civil Action No. 12-cv-3824 (PGG)) SEC CHARGES CHINA NATURAL GAS AND ITS CHAIRMAN FOR CONCEALING LOANS TO BENEFIT HIS FAMILY

The Securities and Exchange Commission today filed suit in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York against China-based China Natural Gas, Inc. and its chairman and former CEO Qinan Ji for defrauding investors by secretly loaning company funds to benefit Ji’s son and nephew while failing to disclose the true nature of the loans.

The SEC alleges that Ji coordinated two short-term loans totaling more than $14 million in January 2010. One loan went to a real estate firm co-owned by Ji’s son and nephew through a sham borrower. The other loan went to a business partner of the real estate firm. Ji signed the company’s SEC filings that falsely stated the loans were made to third parties. Ji then lied about the true borrower to China Natural Gas’s board, investors, and auditors as well as during the company’s internal investigation.


According to the SEC’s complaint, Ji’s nephew approached China Natural Gas in late 2009 to obtain a loan for a large real estate development project being run by Demaoxing Real Estate Co., a firm that was 90 percent owned by Ji’s son and 10 percent owned by Ji’s nephew. Ji recognized it was inappropriate for China Natural Gas to loan money directly to his nephew, so he asked his niece’s husband, who was the company’s internal audit chief, to use a sham borrower. The internal audit chief located an individual named Taoxiang Wang, and fabricated notes of a meeting with her to discuss loan terms. Wang signed a loan agreement for $9.9 million, and the money was wired directly into a Demaoxing bank account with a note stating that the amount was for “raw material expenses.”


The SEC alleges that around the same time, China Natural Gas made a $4.4 million loan to Shaanxi Juntai Housing Purchase Co., a business partner on Demaoxing’s real estate development project. Shaanxi Juntai’s then-general manager was Ji’s friend. The internal audit chief talked with Ji’s nephew about the project when arranging the loan, which directly benefitted Demaoxing.

According to the SEC’s complaint, Ji was the company CEO until he resigned in October 2011. He approved both loans without obtaining prior authorization from the board or informing the CFO. Ji repeatedly lied to conceal the related party nature of both loans. When questioned about the loans by the China Natural Gas board, Ji falsely stated that the loans involved senior Chinese government officers who were in charge of the company’s liquid natural gas project. During a May 10, 2010 conference call about quarterly earnings, Ji responded to a question about the loans by again stating that they were made to obtain approvals from government officials. He later told the board that he made the loans to earn quick and lucrative interest, and lied about the true nature of the loans during the company’s internal investigation. Ji also lied to the company’s auditors by signing a letter stating that the two loans were for business purposes and the borrowers were not related parties.


The SEC also alleges that in the fourth quarter of 2008, China Natural Gas paid $19.6 million to acquire a natural gas company but did not timely and properly report the transaction in its SEC filings. As with the loans, Ji approved the acquisition without obtaining prior authorization from the board.


The complaint alleges that China Natural Gas and Ji violated or aided and abetted violations of Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Sections 10(b), 13(a), 13(b)(2)(A), 13(b)(2)(B), and 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Exchange Act Rules 10b-5, 12b-20, 13a-1, 13a-11, 13a-13, and 14a-9. The complaint further alleges that Ji violated Exchange Act Section 13(b)(5) and Rules 13a-14, 13b2-1 and 13b2-2. Ji also is charged with violating provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act that require him to repay China Natural Gas the bonuses and stock sale profits he received after the company filed false reports with the SEC. The SEC’s complaint seeks a final judgment that imposes financial penalties, bars Ji from acting as an officer or director of a public company, and permanently enjoins Ji and China Natural Gas from future violations of these provisions.


International Government Procurement Bribery Schemes, International Procurement Illegal Kickback Schemes, and Other Illicit Payment Information

Numerous other types of international government procurement bribery schemes exist including the use of foreign banks, government official relatives, subsidiaries of international companies, false accounting documents, and other third party intermediary and fraudulent accounting practices to disguise sophisticated international government procurement bribery schemes.

International Whistleblowers with original evidence of these schemes can obtain large financial rewards for properly exposing an illegal bribery scheme.  If you are the original source with special knowledge of illicit payments and bribes of a foreign official, please feel free to confidentially contact International Whistleblower Bribe Lawyer, Jason S. Coomer about confidentially exposing a bribery scheme.

Saturday, May 26, 2012

The CFTC and SEC Are Offering Large Rewards to International Whistleblowers That Properly Expose International Hedge Fund Fraud - by International Securities Fraud Whistleblower Lawyer Jason S. Coomer

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Are Offering Large Rewards and Bounties to International Whistleblowers That Properly Expose International Hedge Fund Fraud, International Investment Fraud, False Accounting, Investment Derivative Fraud, Government Official Bribes, and International Investment Fraud - by International Hedge Fund Fraud Whistleblower Lawyer Jason S. Coomer

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) are offering large financial rewards and bounties to International Whistleblowers that properly expose international hedge fund fraud, international securities fraud, corporate false accounting, government official bribes, and corruption in the Financial Services Industry.  These new International Whistleblower Bounty Laws have been enacted to encourage international financial services professionals, high end investors, government officials, international regulators, and other individuals with knowledge of securities fraud, hedge fund fraud, derivatives fraud, financial services government bribes, investment fraud, corporate false accounting, and other SEC violations and CFTC violations, to expose the fraud and corruption.  These new international whistleblower reward laws offer large financial rewards and whistleblower protections for persons including international whistleblowers that qualify and expose significant fraud and corruption.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Are Regulating Hedge Funds Including Implementing Dodd-Frank and Entering into International Agreements Regarding Hedge Fund Regulations

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) are moving forward with regulation of the financial services market including regulation of hedge funds.  This financial services regulation includes international agreements with several governments regarding comprehensive arrangements to improve the oversight of regulated entities, including hedge funds, that operate across national borders. 

The implementation of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act passed in July 2010 has increased regulation of financial companies, including large United States based hedge funds, international hedge funds, and smaller United States state based hedge funds. More specifically, the act requires advisers with private pools of capital exceeding $150 million or more in assets to register with the SEC.  As such, the hedge fund advisers of these hedge funds became subject to all rules which apply to registered advisers by July 21, 2011. Previous exemptions from registration provided under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 no longer apply to most hedge fund advisers.

In addition to large hedge funds based in the United States, international hedge funds with more than 15 US clients and investors, and managing more than $25 million for these clients, also have to register with the SEC.  These international hedge funds will also be regulated by the SEC and subject to SEC rules.

Hedge fund managers based in the United States who have less than $100 million in assets under management are overseen by the state where the manager is domiciled and become subject to state regulation.  These mandatory registrations of hedge fund advisers was supported by the largest hedge fund trade group, the Managed Funds Association (MFA)

Dodd-Frank also required hedge funds to provide information about their trades and portfolios to help regulators fulfill their obligation to monitor and regulate systemic risk. The aim was for this data to be analyzed and shared among regulators – including the newly created Financial Stability Oversight Council – and for the SEC to report to Congress on how the data is being used to protect both investors and market integrity. Under the so-called "Volcker Rule", regulators are also required to implement regulations for banks, their affiliates and holding companies to limit their relationships with hedge funds and also to prohibit these organizations from proprietary trading, and limit their investment in, and sponsorship of hedge funds.

The SEC has entered into comprehensive arrangements called “memoranda of understanding” (“MOU’s”) with about international authorities including the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) as part of long-term strategy to improve the oversight of regulated entities, including hedge funds, that operate across national borders. These arrangements detail procedures and mechanisms by which the SEC and its counterparts can collect and share investigatory information where there are suspicions of a violation of either jurisdiction’s securities laws.

For more information on this topic, please feel free to go to the following web page: The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Are Offering Large Rewards and Bounties to International Whistleblowers That Properly Expose International Hedge Fund Fraud, International Investment Fraud, False Accounting, Investment Derivative Fraud, Government Official Bribes, and International Investment Fraud by International Hedge Fund Fraud Whistleblower Lawyer, International Securities Fraud Whistleblower Lawyer and International Investment Derivatives Fraud Whistleblower Lawyer Jason S. Coomer

Thursday, May 24, 2012

International Hedge Fund Managers, International Money Managers, and International Financial Analysts Can Receive Large Financial Rewards For Properly Exposing International Hedge Fund Fraud

International Hedge Fund Managers, International Money Managers, International Hedge Fund Advisers, and International Financial Analysts Are A Select Group of Financial Services Professionals That May Have Original Information of International Financial Fraud and International Investment Fraud From Their Own Independent Analysis That Can Be The Basis Of An International SEC Whistleblower Reward Lawsuit - by International Hedge Fund Fraud Whistleblower Lawyer Jason S. Coomer

International Hedge Fund Managers, International Money Managers, and International Financial Analysts are a select group of international professional services that often have original information from their own independent analysis of securities violations.  Because of the financial and investment expertise, the SEC has decided to offer large financial rewards to hedge fund managers, financial analysts, and other financial services professionals that properly identify and expose financial fraud, investment fraud, and securities fraud.  Under the SEC Whistleblower Reward Program new rules have expanded the definition of original information to encourage hedge fund managers, financial analysts, and money managers to become whistleblowers.  The new law and SEC rules include increased economic incentives and protections that are meant to encourage hedge fund managers, financial analysts, and money managers to blow the whistle on significant fraud schemes.


SEC CHARGES SECURITIES PROFESSIONALS AND TRADERS IN INTERNATIONAL HEDGE FUND PORTFOLIO PUMPING SCHEME


On Feb. 24, 2011, the Securities and Exchange Commission charged two securities professionals, a hedge fund trader, and two firms involved in a scheme that manipulated several U.S. microcap stocks and generated more than $63 million in illicit proceeds through stock sales, commissions and sales credits.

The SEC alleges that Florian Homm of Spain and Todd M. Ficeto of Malibu, Calif., conducted the scheme through their Beverly Hills, Calif.-based broker-dealer Hunter World Markets Inc. (HWM) with the assistance of Homm’s close associate Colin Heatherington, a trader who lives in Canada. They brought microcap companies public through reverse mergers and manipulated upwards the stock prices of these thinly-traded stocks before selling their shares at inflated prices to eight offshore hedge funds controlled by Homm. Their manipulation of the stock prices allowed Homm to materially overstate by at least $440 million the hedge funds’ performance and net asset values (NAVs) in a fraudulent practice known as “portfolio pumping.”

The SEC additionally brought administrative proceedings against HWM’s trader and chief compliance officer, who each agreed to settle the SEC’s charges against them.
“Ficeto and Homm repeatedly abused their positions as securities industry professionals to commit a wide-ranging, cross-border fraudulent scheme,” said Rosalind R. Tyson, Director of the SEC’s Los Angeles Regional Office. “By manipulating U.S. stocks through a U.S. broker-dealer, they defrauded investors in offshore hedge funds and reaped millions of dollars from their illicit activities.”

SEC CHARGES U.S. PERPETRATORS IN $35 MILLION INTERNATIONAL BOILER ROOM SCHEME

Nicholas Louis Geranio, et al.: Lit. Rel. No. 22370 / May 16, 2012- The Securities and Exchange Commission announced that the SEC filed an action today against SEC recidivist Nicholas Louis Geranio, Keith Michael Field, The Good One, Inc. and Kaleidoscope Real Estate, Inc. for their roles in a $35 million scheme to manipulate the market and to profit from the issuance and sale of certain U.S. companies’ (“Issuers’”) stock through offshore boiler rooms. The scheme ran from approximately April 2007 to October 2009.   

According to the SEC’s complaint, the scheme worked as follows:  Geranio organized eight U.S. Issuers, installed management (including Field), and entered into consulting agreements with them through his alter-ego entities The Good One and Kaleidoscope.  Geranio then allegedly set up a common system to raise money through the Issuers’ sale of Regulation S shares to offshore investors by boiler rooms that Geranio recruited.  Field allegedly drafted materially misleading business plans, marketing materials, and website material for the Issuers, which the offshore boiler rooms provided to investors as part of their fraudulent solicitation efforts.   

Sunday, May 20, 2012

International Whistleblowers Are Eligible For Large Rewards For Properly Exposing Oil Company Illegal Bribes

International Whistleblower Reward Laws Encourage International Whistleblowers to Expose Government Corruption, Oil Lease Bribes to Public Officials, Oil Lease Illegal Kickbacks, Oil Lease Contract Bribes to Government Officials, and other Violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act - by International Oil Company Employee Whistleblower Lawyer, International Oil Company Bribe Whistleblower Lawyer, & Energy Company Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Lawyer Jason S. Coomer

International Whistleblower Reward Laws offer large potential rewards or bounties to international oil company employee whistleblowers, foreign government official whistleblowers, and other international whistleblowers that blow the whistle on international oil company contract bribes, international accounting fraud, international energy company fraud, and international oil lease bribes. 




Oil Companies that pay illegal kickbacks and bribes to government officials and former government officials in exchange for drilling contracts, pipeline contracts, oil leases, offshore drilling, mining contracts, and other large building projects can be brought to justice and made to pay large penalties under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.  The whistleblowers that bring these corporations to justice may be able to collect large economic rewards under the  Securities Exchange Act (SEC Whistleblower Bounty Actions) and the Commodity Exchange Act (CFTC Whisteblower Bounty Actions).

Saudi Arabia Edges Russia as Biggest Oil Producer, JODI Says - Bloomberg

"Saudi Arabia boosted crude production close to a 31-year high in March, overtaking Russia as the world’s largest oil producer for the first time in six years, according to the Joint Organization Data Initiative.  Saudi crude exports rose 3 percent in March, reaching the highest level in five years as Iran cut shipments, according to government statistics posted today on the initiative’s website."

"Saudi Arabia, OPEC’s largest producer, increased daily output to 9.923 million barrels in March, up 0.7 percent to the second-highest level since at least 1980, according to the initiative. That topped output from Russia, which pumped 9.920 million barrels a day, for the first time since February 2006, according to the data."

"Russia’s energy ministry estimated the country’s output at 10.36 million barrels a day in March. JODI calculated a different barrel-per-day figure for Russia using data in metric tons that the country submitted to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, and comparing that with information from four other sources. The figures for Russia include crude and condensate, JODI said."

"Vladimir Putin, who was this year elected to a third term as Russia’s president, called in October 2008 for the country to pump more than 10 million barrels a day for at least the next decade.
Saudi production numbers compiled by JODI are based on data the Saudi government submitted to the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries."

"Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest crude exporter, boosted shipments to 7.704 million barrels a day in March from 7.485 million barrels a day in February, JODI data showed. Exports from Iran, the second-largest producer in OPEC, fell by 4 percent to 2.242 million barrels a day from 2.338 million barrels a day in February, according to the data."

"Importers in Europe, Japan, and India are seeking new suppliers as a European ban on purchases of Iranian crude takes effect on July 1. Saudi Arabia currently produces at elevated levels in a bid to curb prices."

"The Saudi oil minister, Ali al-Naimi, said on March 13 in Adelaide, Australia, that he wants to see the price for Brent crude at around $100 a barrel. Brent oil for July settlement declined 35 cents on May 18 to $107.14 a barrel on the London- based ICE Futures Europe exchange. The European benchmark closed at the lowest level since Dec. 20."

Thursday, May 17, 2012

International Whistleblowers in Brazil Are Needed To Expose Corruption And Can Receive Large Financial Rewards For Exposing Bribes Being Paid To Government Officials And Employees of Brazilian Run Companies by Multinational Corporations by Brazil Government Official Bribe Whistleblower Lawyer, Brazil Government Procurement Bribe Lawyer, and Brazil Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Lawyer Jason S. Coomer

 International Whistleblowers in Brazil Are Needed To Expose Corruption And Can Receive Large Financial Rewards For Exposing Bribes Being Paid To Government Officials And Employees of Brazilian Run Companies by Multinational Corporations by Brazil Government Official Bribe Whistleblower Lawyer, Brazil Government Procurement Bribe Lawyer, and Brazil Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Lawyer Jason S. Coomer

The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) prohibits bribes by multinational corporations to foreign officials to obtain lucrative contracts.  These prohibitions include bribes to employees of government owned companies such as Embraer and  Petrobras.  Brazilian bribe whistleblowers that properly report these illegal contract bribes, kickbacks, and other corrupt practices may recover large rewards for exposing corrupt practices committed by multinational corporation.

Brazilian Manufacturing Bribe Whistleblowers, Brazilian Airplane Manufacturer Illegal Kickback Whistleblowers, Embraer Employee Whistleblowers, and other Multinational Company Whistleblowers Are Needed to Protect Brazil From Corruption

"Embraer, the Brazilian airplane manufacturer (fourth largest in the world), announced last week that it is being investigated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for possible U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) violations. This is the U.S. government’s first FCPA action against a major Latin American-based multi-national." Boom Times in Brazil, Part 4 (Developments that might signal corruption reform . . . including Embraer) : FCPAméricas 

"The implications are significant. In the past, Latin American executives have watched as major companies were hit by FCPA actions in the region. But the companies were always foreign companies, or their Latin American subsidiaries. Take, for example, IBM in Argentina, Siemens in Venezuela and Argentina, Nature’s Sunshine in Brazil, Alcatel in Costa Rica and Honduras, and Lindsey Manufacturing in Mexico. In each case, Latin American observers could dismiss the action as something against foreigners. Not anymore. Now, one of their own has been hit. Embraer is, through-and-through, a Brazilian corporation. Brazilian executives are on notice." Boom Times in Brazil, Part 4 (Developments that might signal corruption reform . . . including Embraer) : FCPAméricas -

Brazilian Oil Company Bribe Whistleblowers, Brazilian Energy Company Illegal Kickback Whistleblowers, Petrobras Employee Whistleblowers, Energy Company Whistleblowers and Multinational Oil Company Whistleblowers Are Needed to Protect The Brazilian Energy Industry From Corruption by Brazil Oil Company Official Bribe Whistleblower Lawyer, Brazil Petrobras Bribe Whistleblower Lawyer, and Brazil Corrupt Practices Act Lawyer Jason S. Coomer

The Brazilian energy industry is dominated by the Brazilian multinational energy company, Petrobras.  Petrobras is the forth largest company in the world measured by market capitalization.  It is also Brazil's semi-public oil company that is public and private hybrid.  As Brazil's public oil company, Petrobras has a goal of directing over 50% of its future oil and gas contracts to local Brazilian companies.  This protectionist economic policy is designed to help develop the Brazilian petrochemical industry and to limit the influence of foreign multinational oil companies on the Brazilian economy.  However, avoiding corruption including Santos Basin lease bribes, Petrobras employee bribes, Brazilian government official bribes, Petrobras oil lease bribes, and other potential Petrobras corruption may prove difficult as the historical culture of Brazilian business and Brazilian government includes substantial corruption.


With the rapidly expanding Brazilian economy, foreign direct investments into Brazil, and Brazilian companies expanding into other countries have come allegations of government official bribes, government agent kickbacks, fraud, embezzlement, and other forms of corruption. Included in these Brazilian government corruption scandals are several government officials that are being forced to resign, while other government officials in President Dilma Rousseff’s cabinet are under investigation for government corruption.  In the aftermath of these corruption scandals, the Brazilian Congress is in the process of enacting new law that would dramatically strengthen the Brazilian foreign bribery laws.  The foreign anti-bribery law is part of a global trend where governments around the world are cracking down on large corrupt multinational corporations that are offering bribes and kickbacks to government officials in order to obtain large government contracts, avoid health & safety regulations, bypass environmental laws, and exploit populations in foreign countries.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

China Joins the International Fight against Corruption

China Joins the International Fight against Corruption

China has recently joined most of the western world in passing anti-corruption legislation. As reported by the FCPA Professor, “the legislature of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), the National People’s Congress, passed a slate of 49 amendments to the Criminal Law, one of which is a provision that criminalizes paying bribes to non-PRC government officials and to officials of international public organizations.”

This amendment represents the first instance in which PRC law has prohibited PRC nationals and PRC companies from paying bribes to non-PRC government officials and to officials of international public organizations. The amendment became effective on May 1, 2011.  The New Law simply states that following:

"Whoever, for the purpose of seeking illegitimate commercial benefits, gives money or property to any foreign public official or official of an international public organization, shall be punished in accordance with the provisions of the preceding paragraph (i.e., the pre-existing Article 164)”

International Whistleblower Reward Laws Encourage Chinese Whistleblowers and International Whistleblowers to Expose Chinese Government Official Bribes, Chinese Public Official Illegal Kickbacks, and other Chinese Government Corruption which are Violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act by China International Business Whistleblower Lawyer, People's Republic of China International Bribery Scheme Lawyer, and China Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Whistleblower Lawyer Jason S. Coomer

Multinational Corporations that pay illegal kickbacks and bribes to Chinese government officials and former Chinese government officials in exchange for Chinese construction contracts, Chinese public health care pharmaceutical contracts, customs false certifications through Chinese ports, and other international business advantages can be brought to justice and made to pay large penalties under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the China bribery scheme international whistleblower that exposes these foreign corporations are granted protections and may be able to collect large economic rewards under new international whistleblower laws.  For more information on this topic, please feel free to go to the following webpage: International Whistleblower Reward Laws Encourage Chinese Whistleblowers and International Whistleblowers to Expose Chinese Government Official Bribes, Chinese Public Official Illegal Kickbacks, and other Chinese Government Corruption.  

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

International Business Litigation, International Theft of Trade Secrets, & International Corporate Espionage Whistleblower Lawsuit Information


International theft of trade secrets and international intellectual property right infringement are on the rise as China, Mexico, Russia, and other emerging countries are seeking to improve their technology to move up the manufacturing value chain.  With fierce competition from countries such as Vietnam, Cambodia and Bangladesh attempting to undercut China's manufacturing of labor-intensive goods as well as higher end supply chain manufacturing competition from other emerging countries being placed on China, Russia, and Mexico; the pressure to obtain high end trade secrets and intellectual property has led to corporate espionage and theft of valuable trade secrets and intellectual property.

International Pharmaceutical Patent Infringement Lawsuits, International Pharmaceutical Trade Secret Theft Whistleblower Lawsuits, International Corporate Espionage Lawsuits, and International Intellectual Property Theft Whistleblower Lawsuits
International pharmaceutical supply chain fraud lawsuits, international pharmaceutical patent infringement lawsuits, international fake drug lawsuits, and other international pharmaceutical fraud lawsuits can include direct actions between large multinational drug companies, Medicare fraud whistleblower lawsuits, Medicaid fraud whistleblower lawsuits, US Military fraud whistleblower lawsuits, and SEC drug fraud whistleblower lawsuits.  Understanding the potential causes of action and how to research these complicated cases is essential to determining how to move forward on these actions.


Unfortunately, some businesses face illegal challenges from businesses that commit unfair and illegal actions to steal business, trade secrets, intellectual property, and customers for the purpose of increasing their own profits and putting their competitors out of business.  This illegal competition, unfair competition, or corporate malfeasance can include theft of trade secrets, release of false press releases, use of short term predatory pricing, making demands of exclusive contracts from suppliers, forcing lenders to call in loans, stealing business & customers, hacking computers, infringing on intellectual property, and spreading false information in the business community.