The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York recovered more than $68 million in 2025 through enforcement actions targeting fraud, waste and abuse.
Officials said the recoveries were secured by the office’s Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit through settlements and civil investigations.
The largest settlement involved Pfizer, on behalf of its subsidiary Biohaven, which paid more than $50 million to resolve allegations it provided kickbacks to health care providers to promote its drug Nurtec.
Authorities also reported five cases involving Paycheck Protection Program fraud that will result in more than $10 million in recoveries.
Additional cases included non-False Claims Act matters, such as self-disclosed overpayments to federal health care programs and claims tied to the Railroad Retirement Board pension program.
“The settlements and recoveries achieved by the ACE Unit in 2025 demonstrate this Office’s commitment to protecting taxpayer money,” U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo said. “My office will continue to aggressively root out fraud, waste, and abuse involving government programs and hold those responsible accountable.”
The Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit investigates civil claims under the federal False Claims Act, which allows the government to recover losses tied to fraud and impose additional penalties. Officials said many cases originate from whistleblower reports.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected].