Andrew S. Feldman from the Firm and Marissel Descalzo, a partner at Tache Bronis & Descalzo, P.A. obtained a rare Rule 29 judgment of acquittal on the one major count at trial alleging that the client participated in a wire fraud conspiracy. The wire fraud conspiracy related entirely to the client’s supposed involvement in a fraudulent clinical trial for Asthma drugs sponsored by GlaxoSmith Kline (GSK). From 2014 until August of 2015, the client was a research coordinator for a company in Miami which performed clinical trials sponsored by multi-national companies. In 2017, GSK and the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigation spearheaded an investigation into an alleged fraudulent clinical trial at the Miami research company. The investigation also focused intensely on the clinical investigator (a licensed physician) and her medical practice from which many of the study participants had originated. During the investigation, the FDA unearthed irregularities with respect to that clinical trial. The FDA and DOJ were then able to approach and obtain cooperating witnesses, and, ultimately, filed charges against five defendants. The Department of Justice inked plea agreements with four co-defendants. The client was the lone defendant who exercised her Sixth Amendment right to a jury trial.
The jury trial lasted approximately two weeks and the government called 12 witnesses, including FDA agents and expert witnesses from around the United States. The government also called two cooperating defendants to testify against the client.
The Firm is very happy with the victory for the client. The Firm also thanks Mrs. Descalzo for her incredible performance during trial. The Firm represents clients in complex fraud trials including clinical trial fraud cases investigated by the Food Drug Administration (FDA). The Firm looks forward to representing clients in FDA criminal cases or cases involving allegations of fraud related to the performance of a clinical trial.