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U.S. NEWS Thursday 19 January 2023

Feds to investigate nursing home abuse of antipsychotics

By AMANDA SEITZ In 2012, the federal govern-
Associated Press ment began tracking when
WASHINGTON (AP) — The nursing homes use antipsy-
federal government says it chotics on residents doing
will begin a targeted crack- so can impact the facil-
down on nursing homes’ ity’s quality rating in a pub-
abuse of antipsychotic lic database but only for
drugs and misdiagnoses of those who have not been
schizophrenia in patients. diagnosed with schizophre-
The Centers for Medicare nia.
and Medicaid Services is Antipsychotics for those
launching investigations nursing home residents has
this month into select nurs- dropped to under 20% in
ing homes, aimed at verify- recent years, according to
ing whether patients have federal data.
been properly diagnosed A November report from
with the psychiatric disor- the HHS Office of the In-
der. spector General, however,
Evidence has mounted revealed that the number
over decades that some of residents reported as
facilities wrongly diagnose having schizophrenia with-
residents with schizophre- out a corresponding diag-
nia or administer antipsy- nosis skyrocketed between
chotic drugs to sedate Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, the Administrator for the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services, 2015 and 2019, with 99 nurs-
them, despite dangerous poses for a photograph in her office, Feb. 9, 2022, in Washington. ing homes in the country
side effects that could in- Associated Press reporting that 20% or more
clude death, according to tary Xavier Becerra said in dodging increased scru- disorder, a government re- of their residents have the
the agency. a statement Wednesday. tiny around gratuitous use port last year found. Less disorder.
“No nursing home resident “The steps we are taking to- of antipsychotic medica- than 1% of the population “The number of unsupport-
should be improperly diag- day will help prevent these tions by coding residents as is believed to have schizo- ed schizophrenia diagno-
nosed with schizophrenia errors and give families having schizophrenia, even phrenia, which is marked ses increased and in 2019
or given an inappropriate peace of mind.” when they do not show by delusions, hallucinations was concentrated in rela-
antipsychotic,” Health and Some facilities may be signs of the extremely rare and disordered thinking. tively few nursing homes,”
Human Services Secre- the report concluded.q

Justice Dept. charges Russian founder of cryptocurrency firm

By ERIC TUCKER and JOSH as cover for the users. the continental U.S. will not ence if Bizlato had assisted Financial Crimes Enforce-
BOAK “The result was that Bitzlato shield you,” Deputy Attor- Russia in evading sanc- ment Network and French
Associated Press became a safe haven for ney General Lisa Monaco tions tied to its invasion of authorities worked togeth-
WASHINGTON (AP) — A criminals, like drug dealers said at a Wednesday news Ukraine, Deputy Treasury er to identify the alleged
Russian national who and ransomware groups,” conference. “And whether Secretary Wally Adeyemo criminal activities by Bitzla-
founded a cryptocurrency said Breon Peace, the U.S. you break our laws from said, “What we do know is to, which U.S. officials said
exchange that the Justice attorney in Brooklyn, where China or Europe, or abuse Russia has set up an eco- was a sign of the global
Department says became the case was filed. “They our financial system from system that is permissive for cooperation to purge bad
a haven for the proceeds knew that when the police a tropical island, you can cyber criminals.” actors from cryptocurrency
of criminal activity has traced their funds to Bitz- expect to answer for your The Treasury Department’s markets.q
been arrested, federal of- lato, Bitzlato would not be crimes inside a United
ficials said Wednesday. able to turn over its users’ States courtroom.”
Anatoly Legkodymov, who true identities.” Monaco’s mention of a
lives in China, was arrest- The company, registered in tropical island seemed to
ed Tuesday night in Miami Hong Kong, was founded be an apparent reference
and was due in court on a in 2016 and operates glob- to the arrest last month in
charge of conducting an ally. the Bahamas of Sam Bank-
unlicensed money-trans- The Justice Department man-Fried, the former CEO
mitting business. said Bitzlato, either directly of failed cryptocurrency
Prosecutors allege that or through its intermediar- firm FTX.
Legkodymov’s cryptocur- ies, conducted more than The charge Legkodymov
rency exchange, Bitzlato $700 million in cryptocur- faces carries a maximum
Ltd., of which he served rency exchanges with users penalty of five years in pris-
as majority owner, did not of Hydra Market, a dark- on upon conviction. Leg-
implement required anti- net marketplace for drugs, kodymov, 40, was in custo-
money-laundering safe- fake identifications and dy Wednesday, and it was
guards and required only other illegal products. The unclear if he had a lawyer Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco announces international
minimal identification from Justice Department seized who could comment on his enforcement action against cryptocurrency exchange Bitzlato
its users, even permitting that marketplace last year behalf. He could face ad- and the arrest of the company’s founder, Russian national
them to supply information and shut it down. ditional charges as the in- Anatoly Legkodymov, during a news conference at the Justice
belonging to “straw man “Operating offshore or vestigation moves forward. Department, Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2023, in Washington.
registrants,” people serving moving your servers out of Asked at the news confer- Associated Press