Class Action Lawsuits

Whistleblower (Qui Tam) Actions

Qui tam lawsuits are a form of “whistleblower” claim brought under the False Claims Act, a federal law that rewards individuals when the government recovers funds lost to fraud. If you have evidence of fraud against the federal government, please contact our firm for a confidential, no-cost case evaluation and consultation. Our firm can assist you in all steps of this process. An experienced attorney will help ensure the whistleblower receives an appropriate reward.

Qui tam litigation is a powerful tool for whistleblowers to help the government stop fraud against the American people. Detecting fraud against the government is a challenging task without the cooperation of an insider close to the fraudulent activity. Without insiders, it may be impossible to prove that fraud is being committed. For this reason, employee whistleblowers are critical in the fight against fraud.

Medicare, Medicaid, and Tricare Fraud: these Qui Tam actions are generally brought by providers who have evidence of fraud against suppliers and other providers whom the provider/relator has knowledge of the fraud. Typical allegations are that the provider fraudulently billed or overbilled Medicare, Medicaid, or Tricare for certain services.
Defense Contractor Fraud: false claim Qui Tam actions against defense contractors include claims against contractors that the defense contractor provided false information regarding product specifications and claims against defense contractors that have overcharged the federal government for the cost of supplies or services.
Financial Fraud: after the 2009 financial crisis, the federal government has placed more of an emphasis on finding and punishing financial fraud, including the misuse of federal funds, violations of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regulations, or violations of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) regulations.
Education Fraud: educational institutions have been liable under the Qui Tam False Claims Act for violating the Higher Education Act of 1965 or making false promises that students are eligible to receive government funds.

Fraud perpetrated against the federal government can endanger the lives of patients, U.S. soldiers, and other American citizens and can cost taxpayers a fortune. The False Claims Act rewards whistleblowers whose qui tam lawsuits recover government funds. It provides job protection to whistleblowers due to the risks they take to expose and stop fraud against the government.

Under the False Claims Act, a private citizen may sue an individual or a business defrauding the government and recover funds on the government’s behalf. Notably, the qui tam lawsuit is filed “under seal,” meaning that the only person who views the complaint is the Justice Department—not the wrongdoer.

The government investigates the allegations with the whistleblower’s attorney and decides whether it wants to intervene, which occurs in only a small percentage of qui tam lawsuits. Most successful qui tam cases are resolved through settlement negotiations rather than a trial. Defendants liable under the False Claims Act may have to pay as much as three times the government’s losses plus penalties for each false claim.

We will work with whistleblowers to help recover money stolen from U.S. taxpayers and, in return, obtain a financial reward for the whistleblower’s efforts. Our attorneys will be happy to review your case, discuss the process for filing a whistleblower suit, and help determine the likelihood of a successful recovery under the qui tam provision of the False Claims Act. Please get in touch with us today.

Whistleblower (Qui Tam) Actions

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