DOJ Looking for More Whistleblower Help to Fight Financial Fraud
The Federal False Claims Act (FCA) is the oldest and arguably most developed whistleblower program in the United States. Building off the success of that law, Congress has enacted a number of other targeted whistleblower programs over the years to deal with specific industries and particular types of fraud. Examples include the SEC, IRS, and CFTC whistleblower programs, as well as a host of state-level statutes modeled off of the federal FCA.
Recognizing the vital role that whistleblowers can play in fighting fraud, the Department of Justice (DOJ) recently announced another whistleblower program, this one targeting corporate and financial wrongdoing. Under the new Corporate Whistleblower Awards Pilot Program, a whistleblower can submit original information to the DOJ, and if that information leads to prosecution and asset forfeiture, the whistleblower may be entitled to a portion of the government’s proceeds.
The goal of this new program is to fill the gaps in the existing patchwork quilt of whistleblower programs, which do not always reach the full scope of criminal wrongdoing that the DOJ investigates and prosecutes. During its initial pilot phase, the DOJ is particularly interested in receiving whistleblower tips relating to (1) criminal abuses of the U.S. financial system, (2) foreign corruption cases outside the jurisdiction of the SEC, (3) domestic corruption cases, and (4) health care fraud schemes targeting private insurers not subject to qui tam recovery under the False Claims Act.
While this program is still in its early stages, it is encouraging to see the Department of Justice acknowledging the critical role that whistleblowers play in ferreting out fraud and prioritizing the speedy implementation of this important new program. As national leaders in health care fraud enforcement, our law firm, Barrett Johnston Martin & Garrison, PLLC, stays on top of the latest developments involving health care fraud and False Claims Act cases to represent whistleblowers in cases all over the country. If you have information or questions regarding a potential case of health care fraud, schedule a free and confidential consultation with our firm.
