Whistleblower

Whistleblower lawsuits take place when an individual with knowledge of an organization’s fraudulent, illegal or unethical activity is reported to a law firm for investigation. If you found that your organization is behaving in an ethically questionable or illegal way, it may be time to blow the whistle. Below are some common questions and answers regarding whistleblower cases.

Do I Have A Case?

There are many circumstances where blowing the whistle may be the right thing to do. Listed below are some of the most common types and respective examples:

Defense Contractor Fraud

Examples of Defense Contractor Fraud Include:

• Using parts that are of a lower grade than specified on a government contract
• Using parts that are manufactured in a location other than the location specified on a government contract
• Encouraging employees to falsify records relating to time spent working on contracts
• Omitting contractually required quality control requirements to save on production costs
• Withholding or falsifying information regarding production costs

Healthcare Fraud

Examples of Healthcare Fraud Include:

• Charging partially filled prescriptions at full price
• Modifying a diagnosis or treatment code to gain more funds from a government program
• False reporting to the government to secure funds
• Providing products or treatments known to be ineffective or faulty
• Providing products or treatments that are not medically necessary
• Kickbacks to clinicians to incentivize using or prescribing specific products
• Changing a patients treatment for the financial gain of medical personnel or hospital staff
• Billing ambulance services as medically necessary when they are not

IRS Tax Fraud

Examples of IRS Tax Fraud Include:

• Keeping multiple conflicting sets of records for the purpose of falsifying tax-related information
• Classifying employees as independent contractors when they are not
• Paying an employee in cash to avoid records of payment
• Claiming deductions that are not applicable
• Transferring profits overseas to avoid U.S. taxes
• Transferring profits to another individual or company to avoid taxes
• Neglecting to report profits received in cash

Education Fraud

Examples of Education Fraud Include:

• Providing false information regarding student enrollment, loan rates, and graduation data
• Allowing school staff to administer qualification exams in place of independent organizations
• Providing financial incentives to employees to enroll students
• Providing or assisting students obtaining false credentials in order to make them eligible for enrollment.
• Providing false financial information relating to students’ FASFA forms.

Banking Fraud

Examples of Banking Fraud Include:

• Purposing inflating prices in markets leading to financial distress of borrowers
• Failing to properly evaluate a borrower’s ability to pay back loans
• Artificially prolonging the delinquent status of loans
• Forging documents that should be signed by borrowers
• Submitting fraudulent documents
• Charging improper fees to borrowers
• Disregarding federal regulations

Commodity Futures Trading Commission CFTC/SEC Fraud

Examples of Commodity Futures Trading Commission CFTC/SEC Fraud Include:

• Trading the stock (or other securities) of a public company based on information obtained from within the organization before that information is made available to the public
• Artificially manipulating the price of a security in order to give the appearance that a company is making positive financial progress when it is not
• Selling unsuitable investments such as high risk stocks to somebody in a vulnerable state such as a recent widow or elderly person
• Giving intentionally misleading information or leaving out important details regarding an investment
• Bribing public officials to expedite administrative processes to increase profits for a corporation
• Stealing funds for personal gain from a publicly held company
• Stealing confidential information from an employer for trading purposes

What Do I Have to Gain?

Aside from the obvious peace of mind that comes from exposing wrongdoing within an organization, significant financial compensation may be rewarded. The government offers various incentives for whistleblowers that generally pay the individual or group between 10-30% of the recovered funds.

What Protections Do I Have?

The federal government has enacted several laws and regulations to protect the rights of whistleblowers such as the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act, the Dodd-Frank Act and others. There are also various laws in many states protecting those who come forward.

Who Should I Contact?

If you think you may have a case or have any questions at all, call 1-800-LAW-FIRM for a free consultation. All calls are completely confidential.