麻州長查理貝克卸任前再特赦3人

 Governor Baker Announces Pardons of Three Individuals

 

BOSTON – Today, Governor Charlie Baker announced the pardon of three individuals: John Austin, Phillip Hagar and Edmund Mulvehill. The Parole Board, serving in its function as the Advisory Board of Pardons, recently recommended these pardons.

 

The Massachusetts Constitution grants the Governor the power to grant pardons, and Governor Baker issued updated Executive Clemency Guidelines in February 2020.  Petitions for pardons are reviewed by the Advisory Board of Pardons. The Board evaluates the petition, weighing the factors laid out in the Executive Guidelines, and makes a recommendation to the Governor. The pardons must now be approved by the Governor’s Council.

 

“The clemency process is an integral part of our criminal justice system, and I take the responsibility of granting pardons very seriously,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “After careful consideration of these cases and the recommendations of the Advisory Board of Pardons, I have reached the conclusion that these individuals are worthy candidates for a pardon. I look forward to the Governor’s Council’s review of these recommendations.”

 

For more on John Austin, see here.

 

For more on Phillip Hagar, see here.

 

For more on Edmund Mulvehill, see here.

發"基本收入"的確有用 麻州雀喜市明年初將再次辦理

 (Boston Orange編譯) 每個月$400基本收入，怎麼用，隨你的扶貧計畫，在雀喜市實施效果不錯，該市政府決定和哈佛大學合作，2023年推出新版版行動。

            「雀喜吃 (Chelsea Eats)」原本是雀喜市為因應新冠病毒期間，市內食物銀行需求激增而推出，發給有需要家庭$400，不限用途”基本收入”的實驗性計畫。

            2020年暑假，新冠病毒疫情肆虐了5個月，雀喜市成為全麻州感染率最高城市。由於39000名市民中有許多人是無證件移民，得不到其他形式聯邦補助，以致市內食物銀行需求激增，市府每星期到處運送、發放約4萬磅食物，人力、財力資源吃緊，市經理Tom Ambrosino於是提出了發扣款卡給居民的想法。

            Tom Ambrosino知道” 基本收入” 這直接發現金幫助貧困者計畫，是個在循環經濟中越來越受歡迎的做法，但也有人為此爭議，所以他提出這辦法時是把那當作一個解決問題的做法，沒有多談理念。

            哪想到僅只3星期，他就從市政府經費，聯邦新冠病毒疫情紓困款，以及Shah家庭基金等這些地方湊到了400萬元，推出了「雀喜吃」這計畫，從2020年11月到2021年8月，發出最多每月400元的借記卡，給大約佔了雀喜市人口六分之一的2000多戶人家。

            雀喜市因此也成了全美實施”基本收入”計畫的規模最大城市。哈佛大學的大波士頓Rappaport學院教授Jeffrey Liebman抓住機會，追蹤這計劃如何實際運作。

            Jeffrey Liebman在借記卡發出去前，先發短信給抽籤得到基本收入者做調查。他說自己被嚇到了，竟然有54%的小孩，沒有足夠食物可吃，實在讓人很心疼。他在美國從來沒有看到過這樣的數據。

            由於這筆基本收入是以借記卡的形式發出去的，研究人員得以追蹤這些錢都花在什麼地方。Jeffrey Liebman調閱數據發現，絕大部分都花在食物上。有四分之三是花在雜貨店、餐廳，批發店及市場、便利店。

            所有發出去的錢中，有三分之一都花到了雀喜市的市場籃子 (Market Basket)店。

            本週公佈的第2輪調查，更進一步的就收到基本收入者和沒有收到者的消費差異，發現總的來說，收到者花更多錢在食物上。買了更多的新鮮蔬菜、魚、肉。收到者都覺得財務上的壓力小了些，在取得食物上有更大滿足感。這顯示著額外收入給他們提供了更多穩定性。

            不過到2021年8月時，雀喜市政府每月支出70萬元的這筆錢用光了，儘管需求仍在，「雀喜吃」也只得停辦了。

            雀喜市經理Ambrosino 6日宣佈，在徵詢市民希望如何使用來自聯邦經費的意見後，雀喜市打算動用美國援救計畫款 (ARPA) 80萬元，在2023年1月至3月，以較小規模的650戶家庭為目標，再次推出這計畫。

哈佛大學華裔涉及賄賂錄取案開庭 哈佛學位價值再引議論

          (Boston Orange綜合編譯) 150萬美元換2個哈佛學位? 二年前的一名華裔電信高管賄賂哈佛擊劍教練，讓2個兒子先後進哈佛的聯邦案件，5、6兩日在波士頓的聯邦法院開庭，揭露許多細節。

           聯邦政府執法人員在2020年11月16日逮捕了涉案的現年63歲的電信公司執行長趙捷 (譯音，Jie "Jack" Zhao) 和現年69歲的哈佛大學擊劍教練Peter Brand。其後並成功遊說居間安排這一賄賂，在維琴尼亞州經營擊劍學校的Alexandre Ryjik當檢方汙點證人。

           在5日的聆訊中，Alexandre Ryjik告訴法官George A. O’Toole Jr.，Peter Brand預期著幫助馬里蘭州商人趙捷的兩個兒子以擊劍選手身分上哈佛大學後，會拿到750萬元，但頭期款只拿到10萬元，就抱怨了。

           Alexandre Ryjik坦言自己是中間人，要藉慈善組織把錢轉過去。他們的計畫是趙捷在2013年捐款100萬元給他的擊劍慈善機構，但有默契這筆錢在趙捷的兒子們被哈佛大學錄取後，會轉給Peter Brand成立的另一個慈善機構。

           不過Alexandre Ryjik說，在他自己的慈善機構董事會質疑他，為什麼要捐款給Peter Brand所成立，要付年薪7萬5千元給Pter Brand太太和兒子的新非牟利機構後，他決定只給Peter Brand十萬元。

           根據展示給法官看的電子郵件和簡訊內容，在那時候，Brand要求撥款750萬元給他的慈善機構。

           在一封2013年10月寫給Ryjik的電子郵件中， Brand寫道，”我只是要確認捐款總額一如我們最初討論的750萬元，以確保所有我做的事是值得的”。

           Alexandre Ryjik在作證時說，之前他曾告訴Brand，趙捷相信一位他認識的華裔家長，付了750萬元給賓州大學擊劍項目招募2名擊劍手。於是Brand也期盼拿到同樣數目。他因此害怕了，他想整件事會暴露出來。

           Ryjik說，趙捷的錢，他最後只給了Peter Brand 10萬元。他也承認自己拒絕把剩下的90萬元還給趙捷。這些錢他留給了自己位於華府的國家擊劍基金 (National Fencing Foundation)，還動用了一些錢供個人花費，包括他兒子上哈佛大學的學費3萬元。

           Ryjik在趙捷的兒子上高中時，教過他們擊劍。他和Brand則是多年朋友。檢方對此案的調查，引出了一連串的報導，包括趙捷在小兒子被Brand招募近擊劍隊時，付了估值一倍的天價來買Brand的住宅。

           趙捷的律師Michael Packard稱Ryjik撒謊，詰問他政府不起訴他的交換條件。在詰問中，Ryjik承認他報稱自己有14名員工，拿到15萬元的政府新冠病毒貸款，然後用那筆錢來付薪水給自己，卻沒有給員工。不過他責怪會計在申請貸款時有錯誤，也承認他自己濫用款項，並且沒有退款給已經付了錢，但課程因為新冠病毒而取消的學員。

          根據檢方控訴，趙捷在2015年時付了Brand在Needham的房屋貸款餘額11萬9千元，Brand兒子的賓州大學學費8400元，學生貸款3萬2340元，Brand的水費和汙水處理費2500元，還有Brand的Chevrolet Camaro新車費用。

          接下來的一年，趙捷以98萬9500元這比估值高44萬元的價格，買下Brand在Needham的那棟房子，17個月後，以32萬4500元賣了出去。檢方表示，Brand用出售Needham房屋的錢，在劍橋市買了一棟共管公寓，趙捷不但另外給了他5萬元，還再給了他15萬4600原來裝修。趙捷付給Brand的賄款總額不下150萬元。

          Brand的律師告訴陪審員，那些錢是朋友借給朋友的貸款，Brand去年從辭世母親那兒繼承了一筆錢，還掉了這筆貸款。

          (2020年時，檢方逮捕此案嫌犯的新聞稿https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/former-harvard-fencing-coach-and-maryland-businessman-indicted-bribery-charges)

Baker-Polito Administration Celebrates Community Compact Programs and Announces $7 Million in Fiscal Year 2023 Grants

 Baker-Polito Administration Celebrates Community Compact Programs and Announces $7 Million in Fiscal Year 2023 Grants

BOSTON – Today, Lt. Governor Karyn Polito was joined at the State House by municipal leaders from across the Commonwealth to celebrate the success of the Community Compact Cabinet over the last eight years, and to announce 78 new Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) grant awards through two Community Compact programs.

The Community Compact Cabinet was established by the Baker-Polito Administration in January 2015 as one of its first actions after taking office, with the goal of strengthening the state’s partnership with cities and towns and to allow the Administration to work more closely with municipal leaders. Led by Lt. Governor Polito, the Cabinet champions municipal interests across all executive secretariats and agencies, and develops, in consultation with cities and towns, mutual standards and best practices for both the state and municipalities.

“The Community Compact Cabinet, let by Lieutenant Governor Polito, has been a cornerstone of our Administration’s efforts to forge a stronger partnership between the state and local governments,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “Through its efforts, the Community Compact Program has successfully institutionalized a culture of collaboration, mutual accountability and support that will serve the Commonwealth’s communities and residents well going forward and make Massachusetts a better place to live and work.”

“It has been a privilege to serve as Chair of the Community Compact Cabinet and to work alongside so many dedicated municipal officials across the Commonwealth to create a sustainable and effective model for state-local collaboration,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “Through the Community Compact programs, we are proud to have supported over 1,400 initiatives to improve local services and infrastructure across all 351 Massachusetts cities and towns. I am pleased to announce 78 new grant awards today, which will support technology and efficiency projects that will benefit residents in more than 150 communities.”

“This grant cycle includes a number of important technology and cybersecurity project proposals at the municipal level that will improve digital services offerings to constituents and strengthen municipal cybersecurity defenses against potential threats,” said Secretary of Technology Services and Security Curt Wood. “I thank our partners in municipal government for their continued leadership on technology modernization and cybersecurity enhancements throughout the Commonwealth.”   

 

Over the last eight years, the Community Compact Cabinet has increasingly supported local communities through programs that have enabled more than 1,400 municipal initiatives across all 351 Massachusetts cities and towns. The initiatives have enabled the implementation of best practices, strengthened and modernized local infrastructure, streamlined operations, and improved the efficiency and quality of program and service delivery for residents.

Including the awards announced today, a total of $64.7 million has been provided across four Community Compact grant programs:

• The Best Practices program is based on voluntary, mutual Community Compact agreements that individual cities and towns have entered into with the Commonwealth. In a Community Compact, a municipality agrees to implement at least one government best practice based on its unique needs and areas for improvement, such as best practices related to financial management, housing, public accessibility, or public health. To date, 868 grants for a total of $18.4 million have been distributed through this program to support the adoption of 1,300 best practices in municipalities.
• The Information Technology (IT) grant program focuses on driving innovation and transformation at the local level via investments in technology. Over $24 million has been distributed through 425 grants, supporting nearly 300 municipalities and school districts in efforts to modernize and improve local technology infrastructure and software.
• The Efficiency and Regionalization grant program helps municipalities provide services to their constituents in a more efficient and cost-effective way. Funds are used for the planning and implementation of regionalization initiatives (such as shared services) and for efficiency efforts to improve local service delivery. Since being launched in Fiscal Year 2017, a total of $9.1 million has been provided through 103 grants that have supported 287 municipalities and school districts.
• The Municipal Fiber grant program was established in the Fiscal Year 2022 Capital Investment Plan to help municipalities undertake fiber network-related technology infrastructure initiatives that will improve the functioning of local government and enable long-term cost savings. In the first round of grant funding announced in June, 71 grants totaling $13 million were awarded, which will benefit 86 municipalities. The next round of Municipal Fiber grants will be announced in the first half of 2023.

At today’s event, the Lieutenant Governor announced the Fiscal Year 2023 award winners of the IT grant and Efficiency and Regionalization grant programs. A total of $5 million in IT grants were awarded to support technology-focused initiatives across 61 municipalities, and 17 Efficiency and Regionalization grants distributing a total of $2 million were awarded for regionalization efforts across 102 municipalities.

“Since coming into office, the Baker-Polito Administration has prioritized the needs of Massachusetts cities and towns throughout budget development processes, resulting in more than $64 million in high-value local investments through Community Compact programs," said Secretary of Administration and Finance Michael J. Heffernan. “Thank you to all the dedicated community leaders that have engaged with these programs to improve the efficiency and quality of services for their communities, and congratulations to the award winners announced today.”

The awards announced today include:

Information Technology grants

• Stoughton ($200,000), Foxborough ($198,960), Wellfleet ($190,708) and Southbridge ($143,360) for the implementation of e-permitting systems, which will improve efficiencies and enhance the ability of residents and businesses to transact and interact with town departments;
• Methuen ($200,000), Sheffield ($200,000), Watertown ($190,300), Newton ($140,000) and Paxton ($115,000) for the implementation of records management systems, which will enable more effective management of records, reduce record-keeping redundancies, reduce storage costs, and increase usable office space through the elimination of unnecessary files;
• Berkley ($173,349), Dedham ($139,398) and Chicopee ($133,391) for disaster recovery/cybersecurity enhancements;
• Rowe ($133,400), Goshen ($86,047) and Warren ($65,000) for the implementation of financial management systems;
• $200,000 for a surveillance system for the city of Taunton’s water department assets to enhance the city’s ability to quickly detect and respond to water quality issues;
• $196,495 for Hanover to purchase and install a multi-site Ultra High Frequency digital radio system for the town's schools, which will improve the communication capabilities and enhance the safety and security of public schools within the community;
• $23,791 for New Marlborough to purchase and implement management software; and
• $75,000 for Sandisfield to implement a centralized and web-based security system for a number of municipal buildings

For a full list of Information Technology grant awardees and projects, click here.

Efficiency and Regionalization grants

• $200,000 for the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission to modernize a regional e-permitting system for 23 towns;
• $178,123 for Blandford and Chester to share Water Operators;
• $155,000 to complete the final design of a sanitary sewer connection between the towns of Amherst and Hadley;
• $147,855 for the Franklin Regional Council of Governments for the development and implementation of an enhanced regional emergency preparation system for the 26 towns of Franklin County;
• $100,000 for an electric vehicle (EV) charging station plan across Revere, Winthrop, and Chelsea; and
• $75,000 for regional Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) management for the Merrimack River, which will benefit 18 municipalities in the Merrimack Valley.

For a full list of Efficiency and Regionalization grants, click here.

Baker-Polito Administration Directs Nearly $169 Million from U.S. Department of the Treasury to Promote Small Business Growth and Entrepreneurship

Massachusetts Uses Allocation of State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) Funding to Create and Expand Capital Offerings from MassDevelopment, Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation, and MassVentures

BOSTON – Today, the Baker-Polito Administration announced plans to administer $168,591,178 from the U.S. Department of the Treasury to promote small business growth and entrepreneurship in Massachusetts. This funding, awarded to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts under the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI), will support new or expanded programs offered by quasi-public agencies MassDevelopment, Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation (MGCC), and MassVentures that provide access to capital for small businesses and entrepreneurs. These programs are designed to target small businesses, especially those owned and controlled by economically and socially disadvantaged individuals. “Since taking office, we have been committed to supporting small businesses in communities across Massachusetts,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “This federal funding will allow us to increase access to capital for small businesses and entrepreneurs, helping them create jobs and expand their footprint here in the Commonwealth.” “Small businesses are the heart of our main streets and local economies,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “We are incredibly pleased to be able to expand the suite of resources available from our quasi-public partners that enable small businesses to finance real estate, equipment purchases, and other projects, and are grateful for this support from the federal government.” “This major federal investment will directly benefit our economy by empowering small businesses and entrepreneurs in Massachusetts – especially our smallest and underserved businesses – with the capital they need to grow,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy. “MassDevelopment, Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation, and MassVentures already play a critical role advancing equitable business growth in the Commonwealth, and this funding will allow these agencies to expand their loan offerings to reach more companies.” Funding will be distributed among the following programs: MassDevelopment Enhanced Economic Development Loans This expanded program for real estate, equipment, and leasehold improvement loans makes direct loans for no more than 50% of the total debt package with extremely flexible terms. Enhanced Loan Guarantees This expanded program partners with banks to provide guarantees of up to 50% of the loan amount, on loans for real estate, equipment, and leasehold improvements. Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation (MGCC) Commercial Lending Program This existing program makes direct (companion) loans for no more than 50% of the total financing to small business borrowers using its own balance sheet funds. Community Loan Fund Guarantee This new program will guarantee up to 50% of the principal loan amount originated by its community partners (banks and nonprofit community lenders) up to an average of $250,000. MassVentures Deep Tech Diversity Venture Fund This fund provides pre-seed, seed, seed-extension, and early-stage venture capital equity investments to deep tech startups (e.g. advanced manufacturing and materials, robotics, AI, synthetic biology, quantum, and clean tech). MassVentures has already led or co-led three investments leveraging almost 7X in private capital with the SSBCI funds. The State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) was established by Congress as part of the Jobs Act of 2010 and was reauthorized in the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021, which authorized $10 billion to be allocated nationwide. The Commonwealth was awarded $168,591,178 that will be disbursed in three tranches. “We will be intentional in the use of this significant commitment from the Federal Government to help historically disadvantaged small business owners grow their business and build generational wealth,” said MassDevelopment President and CEO Dan Rivera. “These small businesses and entrepreneurs – many of whom are from diverse backgrounds – energize our local economies with creativity, innovation, and quality jobs.” “The deployment of these loan funds and guarantees by MGCC to those businesses that are most in need, will continue empowering small businesses that may not have access to capital across the Commonwealth,” said Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation President and CEO Larry Andrews. “This support advances Massachusetts’ leadership at deep tech scientific and engineering discovery, while positioning the state as an innovation hot spot for diverse founders as well as founders from traditionally underserved regions of the state,” said MassVentures CEO and President Charlie Hipwood. “We are grateful for this support.” “The Coalition for an Equitable Economy (CEE) is proud to have worked with Secretary Kennealy to advocate for this support to help Massachusetts entrepreneurs and small businesses thrive, particularly in underserved communities,” said Coalition for an Equitable Economy Executive Director Tracye Whitfield. “CEE partners have heard from many small business owners who need extra financial assistance getting off the ground. This is why the SSBCI funds are so important and needed.” To learn more about these and other available resources, visit massdevelopment.com, empoweringsmallbusiness.org, and mass-ventures.com.

SALEM COMPANY SUED AFTER FAILING TO REFUND STATE $3.4 MILLION FOR 900,000 UNDELIVERED N95 MASKS, FUNNELING TAXPAYER FUNDS TO OWNERS

SALEM COMPANY SUED AFTER FAILING TO REFUND STATE $3.4 MILLION FOR 900,000 UNDELIVERED N95 MASKS, FUNNELING TAXPAYER FUNDS TO OWNERS

Bedrock Group LLC Made Repeated False Claims That Payments Owed to State Were in Process While Owners Spent Funds for Personal Use 

BOSTON – A Salem-based limited liability company and its owners have been sued for their failure to return $3.4 million to the state for N95 face masks not delivered during the pandemic, instead diverting hundreds of thousands of dollars to the owners and their families for personal use, including casino trips, cash withdrawals, furniture and meal delivery services, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today.  

In a complaint filed Monday in Suffolk Superior Court, the AG’s Office alleges that Bedrock Group, LLC and its owners – Bedrock Consulting Group, Anthony Damore, Jonathan Roth, Enrique Sperling, and Howard Sperling – made repeated false claims to the Commonwealth for more than two years concerning their intentions and efforts to return funds to Massachusetts for more than 900,000 masks they failed to deliver during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.  

 “During the height of the pandemic, when the country was facing a shortage of N95 masks, this company and its owners took millions of dollars from Massachusetts for much-needed PPE only to enrich themselves,” AG Healey said. “We are suing to hold Bedrock and its owners accountable for their deceit and to get taxpayers their money back.” 

The lawsuit further alleges that by failing to return the money owed to the state and by continuing to make false claims about their intention to do so, the company and its owners violated an assurance of discontinuance the company reached with the AG’s Office in 2021 in which they agreed to pay the state approximately $3.4 million by January 2022 to cover the funds owned plus $250,000 in penalties. To date, Bedrock has made only one $100,000 payment and delivered 100,000 of the 1 million masks ordered by the state. 

The AG’s complaint alleges that in the 13 months following the state’s $3.6 million payment to Bedrock for the N95 masks in April 2020, Bedrock used taxpayer dollars to complete more than $700,000 in direct transfers to Roth, Damore, Howard Sperling, and Enrique Sperling, and members of the Sperling family, while at the same time not paying the state and making false claims about the status of payments. Additionally, the company racked up more than $100,000 in debit and credit card charges that were unrelated to its business functions including $52,000 in charges at casinos, more than $46,000 in Venmo cash transfers, $7,400 at a furniture store in California, and more than $3,000 in UberEats food delivery services. 

Through the lawsuit, the AG’s Office is seeking to recover the full $3,355,422 owed to the state, treble damages, civil penalties and attorneys’ fees. 

              This case is part of AG Healey’s ongoing work to hold accountable those who have tried to profit illegally from the COVID-19 pandemic. In January 2021, the AG’s False Claims Division reached a $1,000,000 settlement with Colonial Auto Group for encouraging its workers to continue working at the outset of the pandemic, despite being furloughed and collecting unemployment benefits. And in November 2020, the AG’s False Claims Division reached a $500,000 agreement with a Maryland-based company for falsely marketing and selling to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority a product claiming to be an effective hand sanitizer alternative to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The Division later sued another distributor of the fake hand sanitizer product for falsely marketing and selling it to school districts across the state, claiming it could kill the COVID-19 virus and provide a multi-hour barrier against the virus without the need for reapplication.              

This matter was handled by Assistant Attorney General Sean Hildenbrandt of AG Healey’s False Claims Division, with assistance from False Claims Division Chief Amy Crafts, False Claims Division Paralegal Cara Bradley, and Colleen Frost of the AG’s Civil Investigations Division.   

The False Claims Division was created by AG Healey in 2015 to safeguard public funds and promote integrity and accountability in public contracting. AG Healey urges anyone with information about suspected fraud or abuse relating to state or municipal contracts or funds to contact the False Claims Division’s tip line at 617-963-2600.  

WALMART TO PAY $500,000 FOR ALLEGEDLY FAILING TO FOLLOW PRICING PROCEDURES FOR WORKERS’ COMPENSATION PRESCRIPTIONS IN MASSACHUSETTS PHARMACIES

 WALMART TO PAY $500,000 FOR ALLEGEDLY FAILING TO FOLLOW PRICING PROCEDURES FOR WORKERS’ COMPENSATION PRESCRIPTIONS IN MASSACHUSETTS PHARMACIES

 

            BOSTON — Retail pharmacy provider Walmart, Inc. has agreed to pay $500,000 after allegedly failing to follow prescription pricing procedures that are in place to keep costs down and prevent overcharges in the workers’ compensation insurance system, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today. 

 

The pricing procedures, required by Massachusetts regulations, ensure that prescription costs will be reviewed against certain regulatory benchmarks. According to the assurance of discontinuance, filed this week in Suffolk Superior Court, Walmart allegedly failed to follow those regulations when applying prices for various injured worker prescriptions from 2016 to the present, at Walmart pharmacy locations in Massachusetts.

 

“Having a workers’ compensation system that is transparent, functional, and affordable is essential for employers and workers across Massachusetts,” said AG Healey. “My office will continue to ensure that companies are following our state’s rules and regulations that guarantee drug pricing in our workers’ compensation system is handled fairly.”

 

Under Massachusetts’ Workers’ Compensation system, when employees are hurt on the job, they are entitled to lost wages, compensation for injuries, and payments for certain injury-related expenses. The system sets limits for the cost of prescriptions for injured workers and requires companies to validate prices against certain regulatory benchmarks before processing their charges, such as the Federal Upper Limit for Medicare and the Massachusetts Maximum Allowable Cost.

 

This case is part of an ongoing review by the Attorney General’s Office into prescription pricing procedures in the workers’ compensation system. AG Healey has now reached settlements with Walmart, Express Scripts, Optum Rx, Walgreens, Stop & Shop, and United Pharmacy for workers’ compensation drug pricing violations totaling over $16 million. 

 

This case was handled by staff from Attorney General Healey’s Insurance and Financial Services Division, including Glenn Kaplan, Dr. Burt Feinberg, and Gia Kim.   

虛擬幣圈不穩定 波士頓Circle上市叫停

            (Boston Orange 綜合編譯) 虛擬幣圈近來傳聞不斷，繼FTX在11月宣告破產後，以波士頓為基地的「圓圈 (Circle)」網路金融公司5日叫停了上市計畫。

            「圓圈」發言人Rachel Busch在一封電子郵件中說，。「圓圈」還是會在一旦可行時採取步驟，致力上市，但時間還沒決定。

            虛擬貨幣面市，受人追捧後，各式各樣幣種，層出不窮，目前較為人知的10大虛擬貨幣，有比特幣 (Bit Coin)，乙太幣 (Ethereum)，幣安幣 (BNB)，艾達幣( ADA)，瑞波幣 ( Ripple)，SOL (Solana)，馬斯克(Elon Musk)曾經買進的狗狗幣 (Dogecoin)，波卡幣 (Polkadot)，Wrapped Bitcoin，以及波場幣 (Tron)。在消息滿天飛之中，虛擬貨幣從成為洗錢者天堂到一般百姓搶進，行情大起大落，許多人一夜致富，也有許多人瞬間成為韭菜。

            今年以來，由於市場不穩定，許多公司取消了上市計畫，直到週一以前，「圓圈」的SPAC，是波士頓地區少數的反向併購案之一。根據律師樓Skadden的報告，在2022上半年，波士頓地區只有69宗SPAC上市案設定了價格，2021上半年，卻有362宗SPAC上市案。

            有320億元估值的FTX，是在2008年美國出現金融危機時出現，一度被人們認為是個安全的虛擬貨幣市場交易平台，不料11月宣佈爆雷，在虛擬貨幣交易的短暫歷史中，被稱為彷如2008年導致金融危機的投資銀行事件的「雷曼時刻 (Lehman moment)」。

            緊接著，在11月28日時，以狂熱想要進入虛擬貨幣市場的一般投資者為對戲的虛擬貨幣貸款公司BlockFi，也申請破產了。

            FTX宣佈破產之後沒多久，全世界最大的虛擬貨幣交易平台「幣安 (Binance)」宣佈，將公佈更多該公司財務，並聘請獨立稽核來審閱所揭露內容。美國最大的虛擬貨幣交易平台Coinbase則宣稱致力「去中央化」系統，讓人們不必相信他們，

            「圓圈」是波士頓地區領頭的虛擬貨幣初創公司，也是和美元，以及其他穩定幣掛鉤的「穩定幣(Stablecoin USD coin)」的背後平台。

            「圓圈」在去年夏天，反向併購和SPAC交易正處於大受歡迎巔峰時，第一次宣布要上市。今年早前，圓圈基本上延緩了上市時間，取消和Concord公司簽署第一階段合約行動，並啟用新約。圓圈最後決定以比原本宣 佈的45億元估值加倍的90億元準備上市。

            圓圈表示該公司在今年第三季開始成為盈利公司，總的毛收入和儲備的利息收入2億7400萬元，淨收入4300萬元。該公司在發佈的一份消息中說，本季結算有無限制用途現金4億在手。

            圓圈共同創辦人暨執行長Jeremy Allaire在5日的聲明中表示，Concord公司在整個過程中都是強有力的夥伴，並增加了價值。

全面使用「真實身份」證件日期延至2025年

           (Boston Orange 編譯) 搭飛機出門旅遊得用「真實身份 (Real ID)」證件的期限，原訂2023年5月，現在延緩到2025年了。

美國國土安全局局長Alejandro Mayorkas稱，因為牌照機構在新冠病毒疫情期間，未能足夠快的發放新駕照，以及新身分證，才不得不把啟用「真實身份」證件的規定時間，從2020年起一再延後。

「真實身份」法是2005因應9/11局的建議而通過的，但是因為聯邦機構的官僚作業，來自州級層次的抵抗，然後是疫情，一直未能實施。現在新的啟用日期為2025年5月日。

「真實身份」法標準化各州發放的牌照、身分證件，要求申請者符合相同的最低文件要求。在新法規下，搭商用飛機，進入某些政府樓噢，以及核電廠，都需要出示符合「真實身份」的證件。

美國人民服務局在2008年公佈了這一規定，然後逐步推行標準。不過，由於各州掙扎翻修發放牌照手續，該機構得不斷展延符合規定的截止日期。

現在全美各州都在發放「真實身份」證件，但是截至2021年4月，州政府發放的牌照及身分證，不到一半符合「真實身份」規定。

美國人民服務局的交通安全局已提醒計畫於2023年5月3日出門的人，沒有「真實身份」或護照，上不了飛機。

本週有2 華裔作家在波士頓朗讀個人作品

            (Boston Orange) 在12月4日到10日之間，有30多名作家的朗讀活動，其中有華裔的2名作家，1名與談人。

                    這幾位華裔作家及與談人分別是預定星期二在WBUR城市空間 (CitySpace)和「被偷走的歲月:新冠病毒改變了兒童的生活，我們現在往哪兒走 (The Stolen Year: How COVID Changed Children’s Lives, and Where We Go Now)作者Anya Kamenetz對談的Carrie Jung。這場活動門票15元，學生以及網上參加，門票5元。

                  星期四晚上7點，透過布魯克蘭書匠 (Brookline Booksmith) 在網上有出版 「被詛咒的兔子:故事 (Cursed Bunny: Stories) 」的作者Bora Chung及Anton Hur，和E. J. Koh對談。

                    也是星期四晚上7點，在衛斯理 (Wellesley) 書店有「教她自己飛的女孩 (The Girl Who Taught Herself to Fly)作者Kwan Kew Lai和E. B. Bartels對談。