Qui Tam Explained - Incentivize Integrity
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Citizens Fighting Fraud on Behalf of the United States Government
Private citizens can file a lawsuit on behalf of the United States government against a company that defrauded the U.S government. This Qui Tam, or citizen suit, provision of the False Claims Act offers substantial financial incentives and rewards to these brave whistleblowers, called Relators, under the False Claims Act, who provide previously undisclosed information of fraud agains the U.S. government that leads to a settlement or judgment against the defendant.
The False Claims Act Relator may file a False Claims Act lawsuit if they are the original source of information that exposes the defendant company's fraudulent acts. This includes transgressions committed against the U.S. government under any of the following circumstances:
- Submitting a false bill or statement designed to receive an unearned payment from the government.
- Holding or concealing property rightfully belonging to the government.
- Conspiring with another individual or entity to file a false claim with the government.
- Knowingly purchasing property owned by the government through a third party.
- Submitting a fraudulent receipt to the government for its own property.
- Making false or misleading statements to avoid paying a legitimate debt or delivering property that is owed to the government.
False Claims Act cases are highly complex and require the services of a qualified Qui Tam attorney.
Private Citizen's Share in the Recovery
The False Claims Act provides that the Qui Tam Relator is entitled to a reward from 15% to 25% of the Government’s recovery, if the Department of Justice intervenes, and 25% to 30% of the recovery if the Government does not intervene and the Qui Tam Relator and his or her counsel prosecute the case alone.
The False Claims Act does not offer guidance about the amount of the Relator’s share in the recovery. The statute only states that it depends on if the Qui Tam Relator “substantially contributed" to the prosecution of the case. This percentage is usually resolved by negotiation between counsel for the Qui Tam Relator and the Department of Justice. The Department of Justice has published guidelines for the Department of Justice attorneys to follow when approaching Qui Tam Relator’s with a percentage of the recovery offer. These guidelines, however, are not binding on courts.
Contact Seattle Whistleblower Attorneys Today
Whistleblower cases can be stressful and complicated, but working with an experienced attorney can make the process much faster and easier. For assistance with your tax fraud case, contact Seattle Whistleblower Attorneys.
Seattle Whistleblower Attorneys, Daniel D. DeLue and Mark D. Walters are experienced whistleblower attorneys and have created a strategic alliance between their law firms to jointly represent whistleblowers in the state of Washington.