Megan Mocho
Partner
Overview
Megan Mocho is a litigation attorney in Holland & Knight's Tysons office, where she focuses on government and internal investigations for corporate and individual clients in the healthcare, government contracts (GovCon), aerospace, intelligence, banking/financial services, education, pharmaceutical and medical device industries. Ms. Mocho also co-chairs the firm's White Collar Defense and Investigations Team.
Ms. Mocho is experienced in civil and criminal government enforcement matters involving procurement/grant fraud, healthcare fraud, public corruption, procurement integrity, financial crimes and whistleblower reprisal. She has particular experience under the False Claims Act (FCA), and regularly defends clients in qui tam actions brought by relators or the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). She has successfully argued for dismissal and declination under the FCA and favorably settled parallel civil and criminal cases on behalf of her clients. Ms. Mocho regularly conducts complex internal investigations, including classified internal investigations, and handles criminal cases under the Classified Information Procedures Act (CIPA). She supports clients facing proposed suspension, debarment, exclusion or other sanction by suspension debarment officials, Offices of Inspector General (OIG) or the World Bank.
In addition to trying criminal jury trials to verdict, she has argued successfully before appellate and district courts. Ms. Mocho conducts compliance program effectiveness reviews and advises on compliance program protocols.
Ms. Mocho is a frequent lecturer on the FCA and on best practices in internal investigations. In addition, Ms. Mocho is co-editor of the Corporate Compliance Answer Book, and serves as the vice chair of the Federal Bar Association's Qui Tam Section.
*Prior external publications may appear under Megan Jeschke.
Representative Experience
- Represented former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell during the public corruption investigation, trial and appeal; after the U.S. Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision vacating the convictions, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) dismissed the indictment
- Represented a medical device corporation in a False Claims Act (FCA) case brought in federal district court in California; successfully argued for dismissal of a repeat qui tam relator's case before the district court and argued before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- Defended a multibillion-dollar defense contractor before the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) against allegations of violating International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), resulting in no fines being imposed
- Represented a publicly traded transportation logistics company in a FCA investigation alleging fraudulent upcoding; successfully convinced the DOJ to decline intervention and dismiss the case
- Conducted a nationwide internal investigation for a leading military contractor related to allegedly fraudulent reporting to the government, involving scrutiny by the AFOSI and Congressional Oversight and Armed Services Committees; resolution of the case was favorable involving no criminal or civil liability
- Conducted an internal investigation for a biologics company regarding allegations of manipulation in study data reported to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- Represented a Fortune 100 manufacturer in an internal investigation related to alleged antitrust and procurement fraud violations
- Representation of joint official liquidators of a defunct hedge fund to recover funds fraudulently retained by hedge fund executives
- Representation in sanctions investigation conducted by the World Bank Office of Integrity (INT) and Office of Suspension and Debarment (OSD)
- Represented a government contractor related to allegations of fraud and bribery of public officials; the case involved classified information and was handled under the Classified Information Procedures Act (CIPA)
- Conducted an internal investigation for a multibillion-dollar government contractor into allegations raised by a former employee of improper supply chain practices and revenue recognition violations
- Represented the corporate executive of an international naval supply contractor related to allegations of public corruption and fraudulent billing
- Conducted several internal investigations related to off-label marketing for a multibillion-dollar pharmaceutical manufacturer
- Represented a national construction company in an FCA case related to allegations by a qui tam relator regarding disadvantaged business enterprise (DBE) fraud
- Conducted several internal investigations related to timekeeping practices for an international government contractor
- Represented an intelligence services contractor in an FCA case brought by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) for an intelligence agency related to allegations of conflicts of interest
- Represented an industrial supply company before the General Services Administration (GSA) OIG regarding allegations of violating the price reduction clause in a schedule contract
- Represented a construction company in an investigation conducted by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) regarding the company's status as a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned (SDVO) small business
- Conducted a nationwide internal investigation for a logistics company related to allegations of subcontractor kickbacks
- Represented a multibillion-dollar U.S. government contractor before the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) regarding suspension proceedings related to the 8(a) mentor-protégé program
- Conducted an internal investigation for a publicly traded government contractor related to allegations of insider trading
- Represented a biopharmaceutical company before the VA OIG regarding allegations of violating the most favored customer clauses in a federal supply schedule contract
- Conducted an international internal investigation related to allegations of defective services and lack of oversight on a U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) contract
Credentials
- University of New Mexico, BBA, Accounting and Finance, cum laude
- The George Washington University Law School, J.D.
- Maryland
- Virginia
- Federal Bar Association, Qui Tam Section, Vice Chair, 2021; Chair, 2022
- Maryland Bar Association
- Virginia Bar Association
- Holland & Knight Public and Charitable Service All-Star, 2014, 2018
- Chambers USA – America's Leading Business Lawyers guide, Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations (Up and Coming), 2023
