US attorney in Montana collects $28.3 M in 2013

HELENA (AP) — The U.S. Attorney's Office in Montana collected $28.3 million in civil and criminal actions in Fiscal Year 2013.

That includes $4.45 million from a Belgrade man for failing to report that a pharmaceutical company he previously owned was importing and distributing a fake cancer drug.

Across the country, U.S. attorney's offices collected $8.1 billion from criminal and civil actions.

U.S. Attorney Michael W. Cotter says Montana's collections included $20.5 million in civil actions, $5.8 million in criminal and civil forfeitures and $2 million in relation to criminal actions.

Other large payments in 2013 included $3.95 million from St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings and Holy Rosary Healthcare in Miles City and $3.85 million from St. James Healthcare in Butte. In both cases they improperly provided financial benefits to physicians who made referrals to the hospital.