We’re rolling out our slew of Top-10 lists covering whistleblower cases, government enforcement actions, and recoveries from 2024. Over the past year, we engaged with a vast number of interesting topics, government updates, and fraud settlements originated by whistleblowers, several represented by Constantine Cannon.

As we look back at 2024, we’ve gathered some of the most fascinating whistleblower news and settlements on which we’ve previously reported. Scroll through to check out record-breaking figures, reported violations, AML enforcements, False Claims Act lawsuits, whistleblower settlements, healthcare fraud allegations, Anti-Kickback and Stark cases, criminal fraud cases, and other such lawsuits that made history.

1. Constantine Cannon Announces Record $70 Million Whistleblower Settlement for Alleged Municipal Bond Fraud and Price Fixing

In March 2024, Constantine Cannon announced a $70 million settlement for its client, Edelweiss Fund LLC, in a whistleblower lawsuit against eight of the nation’s largest banks. This was the largest reported settlement ever under the Illinois False Claims Act. Edelweiss alleged that affiliates of several banks engaged in fraud and collusion regarding the fees they charged, and interest rates they set, for Illinois tax-exempt municipal bonds.

2. TD Bank Pays Record-Setting $3.1 Billion For Money Laundering And Bank Secrecy Act Violations

Setting records! In October 2024, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that TD Bank pleaded guilty and agreed to pay around $1.8 billion in penalties to resolve DOJ charges of money laundering and other violations of the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA). This is on top of the nearly $1.3 billion the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) assessed TD Bank for the same violations.

The $3.1 billion combined sanction is the largest penalty ever imposed under the BSA. It also is the largest penalty against a depository institution in US Treasury and FinCEN history. TD Bank became the largest bank in US history to plead guilty to BSA program failures, and the first US bank to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering.

3. Whistleblower Who Released Shocking Video of Olympian Whipping Horse Speaks Out

During the 2024 summer Olympics, a video surfaced of the British Dressage athlete Charlotte Dujardin whipping her horse’s legs during training while laughing.

After the video was posted, Dujardin was suspended by the International Equestrian Federation, and two of her sponsors withdrew. The whistleblower’s attorney explained the intent behind sharing the video online – to address the possibility of widespread abuse within the sport. Sharing the video highlights one of the fundamental principles of being a whistleblower. Being brave and speaking out when bringing awareness to harsh truths.

4. Indiana’s Community Health Network To Pay an Additional $135M to Settle Stark Law Case Initiated by Whistleblower

The Indiana-based Community Health Network (“Community”) will pay an additional $135 million to resolve a False Claims Act case involving Stark Law violations initiated by a whistleblower Constantine Cannon represented. Announced in December 2024, the settlement is the final resolution of a 2014 False Claims Act case brought by whistleblower Thomas P. Fischer, former Community Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer. In December 2023, the United States and Community settled the first part of this case for $345 million—the largest Stark Law settlement to date.

5. Independent Health to Pay $98M to Resolve Medicare Advantage Fraud Allegations

Announced by the government in December 2024, Buffalo, New York’s Independent Health Association and Independent Health Corporation agreed to pay up to $98 million to settle allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting, or causing the submission of, invalid diagnosis codes to Medicare for Medicare Advantage Plan enrollees. Constantine Cannon represented the courageous whistleblower who came forward to uncover this scheme.

6. New York Doctor Indicted for $20.7 Million in Medicare Fraud and Kickback Scheme

In February 2024, a federal grand jury in New Jersey indicted Dr. Alexander Baldonado, of Queens, New York, for his alleged involvement in an intricate health care fraud and illegal kickback scheme. This scheme involved the submission of over $20.7 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare, primarily for medically unnecessary genetic cancer screening and Covid-19 testing that patients neither requested nor received. Dr. Baldonado was also accused of accepting cash kickbacks in exchange for authorizing lab tests and ordering unnecessary durable medical equipment, along with billing Medicare for office visits that never took place.

7. Constantine Cannon Partner Gordon Schnell Featured in Forbes on the Boeing Whistleblower Saga and the Need for Greater Protections for Aviation Whistleblowers

More Boeing insiders were willing to blow the whistle in recent years. Boeing has a ‘Speak Up’ policy and denies retaliating against the whistleblowers. In May 2024, Forbes interviewed  Constantine Cannon Partner Gordon Schnell to get his take on the Boeing scenario, deficiencies in the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) whistleblower protection program, and why it is imperative to have a whistleblower program within the aviation industry.

8. Raytheon to Pay of $950 Million to Resolve Criminal and Civil Fraud Violations

In October 2024, Raytheon Company (a subsidiary of Virginia-based defense contractor RTX) agreed to pay $950 million to settle DOJ and whistleblower charges. The allegations include violations of the False Claims Act by inflating its pricing on certain defense contracts (including for the Patriot missile system). The company also violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act by bribing a high-level official at the Qatar Emiri Air Force to secure Qatari military contracts.

Raytheon paid $428 million to settle the False Claims Act portion of the settlement. It’s the second largest government procurement fraud recovery under the statute. The allegations originated in a whistleblower lawsuit filed by former Raytheon employee Karen Atesoglu, who received a whistleblower award of $4.2 million.

9. Governor Kathy Hochul Criticizes New York’s Family Member Home Care Program Calling it a “Racket”

It’s refreshing when people in power point out systemic issues and address public concerns, especially when they involve well-intended programs subject to pervasive abuse, such as the New York Medicaid-funded program, CDPAP. In July 2024, New York Governor Kathy Hochul criticized New York’s CDPAP family member home care program, which allows homebound patients to hire family members or friends as caregivers. This also offers a more affordable solution to keeping seniors out of facilities. However, as the program rapidly expanded, allegations of misuse and lack of control generated considerable controversy.

In October 2024, a few months after Hochul called CDPAP a “racket,” a federal grand jury indicted eight individuals in connection with an alleged $68 million CDPAP Medicaid fraud scheme, involving two adult social day care centers and a home health care intermediary in Brooklyn, New York. The defendants allegedly billed Medicaid for CDPAP services that were never provided.

10. SEC Goes After JP Morgan for Violating Whistleblower Protection Rule

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) strongly enforces its Whistleblower Protection Rule — SEC Rule 21F-17(a), prohibiting companies from taking action to dissuade or block whistleblowers from reporting any suspected securities violations. When the SEC believed JP Morgan Securities LLC (JPMS) was violating this rule, it held the company accountable by securing an $18 million civil penalty.

Read Top 10 Most Fascinating Whistleblower Stories and Recoveries of 2024 at constantinecannon.com