Whistleblower cases occur when someone comes forward to “blow the whistle” on those companies or individuals who knowingly cheat the government by the fraudulent use of public funds, ie: our tax dollars. In doing so, whistleblowers help the government recover billions of dollars that have been wrongfully paid to those guilty of government fraud.
Bringing action as a Whistleblower (also known as a “qui tam” action) typically begins when an employee in the work place notices that something is not being done as it should. This typically involves finding a “second set of books,” or discovering that a government contractor is involved in bid-rigging or kickbacks in violation of federal government construction contracts.
The Whistleblower, who is also referred to as a “relator,” may be any private citizen, including a current or former employee of the guilty company, subcontractors of the guilty company or a competitor of the guilty company.
During my legal career, I’ve had the fortunate opportunity to represent “whistleblowers” who were brave enough to come forward and report fraud against our government. These are admirable folks who risk their careers and reputations in order to do the right thing. These are true Americans who witness corporate greed squander our tax dollars to their own economic benefit, and they have the courage to come forward and do something about it. So how do these lawsuits work?
Whistleblowers are private citizens who bring legal charges against companies or individuals who are committing fraud against the United States government.
During my legal career, I’ve had the fortunate opportunity to represent “whistleblowers” who were brave enough to come forward and report fraud against our government. These are admirable folks who risk their careers and reputations in order to do the right thing. These are true Americans who witness corporate greed squander our tax dollars to their own economic benefit, and they have the courage to come forward and do something about it. So how do these lawsuits work?
Whistleblowers are private citizens who bring legal charges against companies or individuals who are committing fraud against the United States government.
Whistleblower cases occur when someone comes forward to “blow the whistle” on those companies or individuals who knowingly cheat the government by the fraudulent use of public funds, ie: our tax dollars. In doing so, whistleblowers help the government recover billions of dollars that have been wrongfully paid to those guilty of government fraud.
Bringing action as a Whistleblower (also known as a “qui tam” action) typically begins when an employee in the work place notices that something is not being done as it should. This typically involves finding a “second set of books,” or discovering that a government contractor is involved in bid-rigging or kickbacks in violation of federal government construction contracts.
The Whistleblower, who is also referred to as a “relator,” may be any private citizen, including a current or former employee of the guilty company, subcontractors of the guilty company or a competitor of the guilty company.
The False Claims Act Provides Protection and Reward for Whistleblowers
Folks who become aware of the misuse of federal dollars (our tax money) really need to think hard about stepping forward to put an end to the corruption. There are powerful protections and incentives in place for people with knowledge of these wrongdoings that allow them to serve in the capacity of a whistleblower and file a qui tam action in the government’s name in order to recover. The False Claims Act was created by our government for this very purpose.
The False Claims Act protects those who report fraud against the government. The Act also provides financial incentives for citizens to hire attorneys and come forward, awarding whistleblowers a share of the proceeds. A whistleblower can expect to receive between 15% to 30% of the government’s total recovery through qui tam litigation. This number can be quite substantial depending on the scale and scope of the government fraud. The False Claims Act also provides job protection to whistleblowers because of the professional and personal risks those folks take to expose and stop fraud against our government.
Once a person has evidence of fraud against the government and decides to blow the whistle, that person needs to find a lawyer to represent them. My team will work immediately to perform a thorough investigation, and if justified, will start putting together the pieces to move forward with a qui tam lawsuit.
The qui tam lawsuit is filed “under seal,” meaning that it is kept secret from everyone but the government to give the United States Justice Department time to investigate the allegations. Filing “under seal” prevents even the person or entity being accused of fraud from knowing about the case until the government has had sufficient time to determine whether they will intervene in the case. It also allows for the identity of the whistleblower to remain confidential until a determination is made by the government.
Companies and corporations will defraud the government in many ways. Examples include bogus billing for products or services that were never provided/performed, bid-rigging and schemes to overcharge by government contractors or fraudulent Medicare billing schemes by healthcare providers. The most common cases prompting whistle blowers to come forward involve:
- Medicare fraud
- Government contractor fraud
- Medical fraud and medical insurance fraud
- Pharmaceutical fraud
- Healthcare fraud
- Social Security fraud
- Violations of environmental safety
- Misuse of government grants
The False Claims Act Provides Protection and Reward for Whistleblowers
Folks who become aware of the misuse of federal dollars (our tax money) really need to think hard about stepping forward to put an end to the corruption. There are powerful protections and incentives in place for people with knowledge of these wrongdoings that allow them to serve in the capacity of a whistleblower and file a qui tam action in the government’s name in order to recover. The False Claims Act was created by our government for this very purpose.
The False Claims Act protects those who report fraud against the government. The Act also provides financial incentives for citizens to hire attorneys and come forward, awarding whistleblowers a share of the proceeds. A whistleblower can expect to receive between 15% to 30% of the government’s total recovery through qui tam litigation. This number can be quite substantial depending on the scale and scope of the government fraud. The False Claims Act also provides job protection to whistleblowers because of the professional and personal risks those folks take to expose and stop fraud against our government.
Once a person has evidence of fraud against the government and decides to blow the whistle, that person needs to find a lawyer to represent them. My team will work immediately to perform a thorough investigation, and if justified, will start putting together the pieces to move forward with a qui tam lawsuit.
The qui tam lawsuit is filed “under seal,” meaning that it is kept secret from everyone but the government to give the United States Justice Department time to investigate the allegations. Filing “under seal” prevents even the person or entity being accused of fraud from knowing about the case until the government has had sufficient time to determine whether they will intervene in the case. It also allows for the identity of the whistleblower to remain confidential until a determination is made by the government.
Companies and corporations will defraud the government in many ways. Examples include bogus billing for products or services that were never provided/performed, bid-rigging and schemes to overcharge by government contractors or fraudulent Medicare billing schemes by healthcare providers. The most common cases prompting whistle blowers to come forward involve:
- Medicare fraud
- Government contractor fraud
- Medical fraud and medical insurance fraud
- Pharmaceutical fraud
- Healthcare fraud
- Social Security fraud
- Violations of environmental safety
- Misuse of government grants
If you have decided to come forward and be a whistleblower against governmental fraud and waste, (a) I salute and commend you for standing up and reporting crimes against the United States of America, and (b) you are going to need the help of an experienced attorney to properly evaluate your potential claims and advise you the potential pros and cons of moving forward. By calling me, you can always know that I will always “shoot you straight” in determining whether moving forward as a whistle blower will be in the best interest for you and your family. Your free consultation with me will be held strictly confidential, and your knowledge will remain safe and secure with me should you decide not to go forward. You will never know how much your whistleblower case can make a change in our country for the better unless you reach out and tell me what you know.
Please read through the website and look at the Outlawyer areas of practice. Pick the phone up and CALL ME if you have any questions or would like to schedule your FREE consultation. Let me help you OUTLAWYER the other side!! 