In the United States, the False Claims Act allows employees or others with inside knowledge of corporate wrongdoings or fraud against the government to bring a qui tam lawsuit in the name of the government. Whistleblowers who bring qui tam lawsuits may be entitled to a percentage of the recovered funds if their case is successful. If you have proof of corporate fraud against the federal or state government, contact the Los Angeles qui tam government fraud attorneys of Tycko & Zavareei LLP today to set up a confidential legal consultation.
The False Claims Act (FCA) was established by Abraham Lincoln as a means of reducing fraud against the federal and state government by incentivizing and protecting whistleblowers who come forward to report corporate fraud. Under the FCA, it is illegal for any individual or organization to purposely file a false claim or create a false record with regard to any state or federally funded government program.
The California False Claims Act (CFCA) is the state version of the federal FCA and gives individuals the ability to bring a lawsuit on behalf of the state of California for making or creating fraudulent claims or records, misappropriating funds, or other crimes against the federal or state government.
A qui tam lawsuit is a whistleblower lawsuit that is filed by a private citizen on behalf of the government. The whistleblower, sometimes known as the qui tam relator, assists in prosecuting the lawsuit against the fraudulent company and gets to keep between 15-30% of the successfully recovered funds.
Corporate fraud against the government exists in most industries that rely on government contracts. Examples of fraud against the government that is commonly seen in qui tam lawsuits include:
Many people are afraid to report fraud due to fears of being retaliated against by their employer or the entity committing the fraud. Under the FCA, whistleblowers are protected from termination, demotion, suspension, or any other forms of threats or harassment from their employer as a result of speaking out. If a whistleblower does face retaliation, the whistleblower is entitled by the FCA to recover “all relief necessary to make the employee whole,” including reinstatement, back pay for time missed at work plus interest, and reasonable attorney’s fees and costs.
If you faced retaliation at work for filing a qui tam lawsuit, an experienced qui tam government fraud attorney will be able to explain your options and answer any questions you may have.
Government programs are funded by taxpayer dollars, so when entities defraud the government they are really stealing from the American people. Each year, taxpayers lose billions to fraud against the government. The whistleblowers who come forward about fraud are not only doing a service to American taxpayers and the country but they are also rewarded for their bravery. In a successful qui tam lawsuit, the whistleblower gets to keep a percentage of the stolen funds that are recovered by the government.
Whistleblower and qui tam lawsuits are complex areas of law so it is important to consult with an experienced qui tam lawyer when considering a whistleblower lawsuit. At Tycko & Zavareei LLP, our whistleblower attorneys are nationally recognized for their part in shedding light on fraudulent companies. A qualified qui tam law firm will be able to:
The decision to come forward with a whistleblower lawsuit exposing corporate fraud against the government can be nerve-wracking due to the fear of retaliation. At Tycko & Zavareei LLP, our qui tam law firm is dedicated to helping and protecting whistleblowers across the country, and our whistleblower lawyers are nationally recognized for their success in exposing corporate fraud. Our qui tam lawyers have worked with whistleblowers to recover over $7 billion in defrauded funds and have decades of experience with qui tam lawsuits.
If you believe you have evidence of corporate fraud being committed against the state or federal government, contact Tycko & Zavareei LLP today for a confidential qui tam case evaluation.