Potomac Floral Wholesale Inc., a Silver Spring-based flower company, has agreed to pay $1.25 million to settle allegations of submitting false unemployment insurance claims during the COVID-19 pandemic. The settlement resolves a civil case brought by the U.S. and Maryland governments, based on a 2021 complaint from former employee Travis Gabriel. Small business owners can’t
A U.S. appeals court has upheld the denial of a whistleblower award to a corporate attorney who reported alleged fraud involving his company to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The ruling, unsealed Friday by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, found the lawyer failed to meet SEC requirements for “original” whistleblower
The Seventh-day Adventist Church has filed a federal lawsuit against the state of Maryland, claiming that its fair employment law infringes on the church’s constitutional right to religious independence. Filed in U.S. District Court in Baltimore, the lawsuit contends that recent interpretations of the Maryland Fair Employment Practices Act hinder the church’s ability to hire
Maryland hospitals are grappling with an IV fluid shortage due to Hurricane Helene’s impact on a Baxter International facility in North Carolina. This plant, which supplies 60% of the U.S.’s IV fluids, has been shut down due to severe flooding. Hospitals in Maryland, under guidance from the Maryland Hospital Association, are conserving IV solutions and
A “Coming Soon” sign has been placed at the Glenmont Shopping Center, announcing the future Glenmont Galleria Mall at Georgia Avenue and Layhill Road. The Galleria will feature over 200,000 square feet of upscale retail, fine dining, and entertainment, with major stores like Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s, and Nordstrom as anchors. It will also include a bowling
Court documents have revealed extensive bank fraud and bribery schemes involving Allieu Badara Kamara, Jr., the former CEO of the nonprofit Life Deeds. Kamara pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges related to submitting false Paycheck Protection Program loan applications, resulting in over $3.7 million in unlawful proceeds. He also engaged in bribery with DC government officials