Federal Criminal Law Committee
for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

FCLC December 15 Virtual Annual Meeting & CLE Panel on Pandemic-Related Fraud Prosecutions

December 15, 2021 12:00 PM

The Federal Criminal Law Committee for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania is pleased to announce its virtual annual meeting and CLE program. Jennifer Beidel, Partner at Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr, will be moderating a panel discussion on pandemic-related fraud prosecutions with the following speakers:

• Matthew Lee, Partner at Fox Rothschild
• Michael Engle, Partner at Armstrong Teasdale
• Jessica Hollobaugh, CPA at the Withum accounting firm

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress authorized the largest stimulus relief package in U.S. history, offering hundreds of billions of dollars to businesses suffering economic hardships through a variety of initiatives including the Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program. Federal investigators and prosecutors have mobilized quickly to combat fraud in connection with these programs and to ensure that relief funds were disbursed, and spent, properly. This session will explore the fast-moving landscape of pandemic-fueled investigations and prosecutions, with a focus on the early criminal prosecutions, anticipated enforcement trends, and how to navigate and defend these cases. The panel will discuss how cases are being charged, possible defenses, and sentencing strategies. The panel will also address the increasing use of civil penalty statutes such as the False Claims Act and FIRREA, and the key role of whistleblowers in rooting out possible fraud.

At the meeting, we will also be conducting the election of FCLC officers for the upcoming year. As a reminder, the officer candidates are as follows:

Chair – Jessica Natali
Vice-Chair – Mark Lee
Treasurer – Abe Rein
Secretary – Justin Danilewitz

A login link will be sent to registered participants on the morning of the event. One hour of CLE credit will be provided.