Jeffrey F. Keller is the founding partner of Keller Grover LLP with an impressive career spanning over 35 years. Mr. Keller began his career prosecuting fraud and unlawful/unfair business practice cases in the areas of consumer protection, securities and antitrust cases. While Mr. Keller continues to handle a variety of fraud and unlawful/unfair business matters, his primary concentration is now on whistleblower matters under the False Claims Act, SEC Whistleblower Program and other similar whistleblower statutes and programs.
With 35 years of experience in prosecuting fraud cases, Mr. Keller has honed a unique blend of skills and expertise that position him as an ideal advocate for whistleblowers. The legal processes involved in prosecuting fraud cases can be incredibly complex. With decades of experience, Mr. Keller has developed a keen ability to navigate these processes efficiently and effectively, from gathering evidence and building strong cases to presenting compelling arguments in court or to government agencies. Whistleblowers benefit from his strategic approach, deep knowledge of the law and meticulous attention to detail, which are critical in successfully prosecuting fraud and whistleblower cases alike.
Over the years, Mr. Keller has also developed a vast network of resources and support that is invaluable in representing whistleblowers. This network includes trusted relationships with many nationally recognized firms, forensic accountants, investigators, and legal and subject matter experts who team up to build the strongest cases possible. To that end, Mr. Keller’s whistleblower clients have already uncovered hundreds of millions of dollars of fraud in cases ranging from healthcare, pharmaceutical sales and custom duties.
Mr. Keller has also earned a reputation for excellence and unwavering dedication to his clients. He has been recognized as a Northern California Super Lawyer® for over 20 years for his accomplishments as a lawyer.
Mr. Keller earned his L.L.M from New York University where he focused on corporate finance and regulation, and his J.D. from Loyola of Los Angeles. While attending Loyola, he was a staff member of the Law Review and published an article that explored issues in the securities fraud arena. See, Aiding and Abetting Liability under Securities Exchange Act Section 10(b) and Sec Rule 10b-5: The Infusion of a Sliding-Scale, Flexible-Factor Analysis, 22 Loy. L.A. L. Rev. 1189 (1989). Mr. Keller also interned with the Securities and Exchange Commission and a Bankruptcy Judge sitting on the Ninth Circuit panel while he was in law school.
Mr. Keller is admitted to the California State Bar as well as the Central, Eastern and Northern Districts of California.
Noteworthy Cases
- Whistleblower lawsuit against Pacific Health Corp: False Claims Act whistleblower case, that alleged that the hospital provider engaged in a fraudulent scheme to use improper psychiatric holds and an unlawful kickback arrangement to bill Medicare and Medicaid for the patients’ supposed care and treatment., which resulted in a judgment of $644 million on behalf of Medicare and Medicaid and $1 million for the retaliation of the whistleblower.
- Whistleblower lawsuit against Sutter Health: False Claims Act that alleged one of California’s largest healthcare system defrauded the Medicare Part C program, known as Medicare Advantage, through the submission of inaccurate and unsupported medical information which artificially inflated the reimbursement from Medicare, resulting in a settlement $90 million. This settlement was the largest FCA settlement against a hospital system involving allegations of fraud on the Medicare Advantage program at the time and the second largest Medicare Advantage fraud settlement ever.
- Antitrust class action against Visa and MasterCard: In this antitrust action, the merchants alleged that Visa and MasterCard were illegally tying their debit products to their credit cards. The Visa Check/MasterMoney Antitrust Litigation, resulted in a settlement of $3.383 billion on behalf of 5 million class members that also included injunctive relief valued by the Court at $25-87 billion over ten years.
- Consumer Protection class action against 24 Hour Fitness: In this class action, consumers alleged that the gym continued to withdraw membership fees from member’s bank accounts even after they had cancelled their gym membership, resulting in a settlement valued a $295 million. This case is notable due to Mr. Keller and his team’s ability to certify a national Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) class action by alleging a violation of the Electronic Funds Transfer Act (EFTA).