Whistleblowers have exposed countless fraudulent practices in the financial services industry, which has saved the government and taxpayers millions of dollars. When you have pertinent information about fraud or other financial crimes, federal laws protect you from retaliation, but speaking out against fraud can be difficult and intimidating without support from an experienced whistleblower attorney.
The False Claims Act (FCA) protects you when exposing wrongful behavior, and you are protected by the Consumer Financial Protection Act, part of the Dodd-Frank Act, when your employer violates rules set by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. When your employer lies to investors, the Sarbanes’ Oxley Act comes to your rescue. Whether you are being retaliated against or wish to report wrongdoings, a Charleston financial industry whistleblower lawyer can help.
Whether financial fraud comes from kickbacks, unlawful debt collection practices, discriminatory lending, or loan fraud, it has been tried and prosecuted before. The financial industry is more than banks. It includes:
An employee with information about a financial crime can instigate a lawsuit on the government’s behalf when the government is being defrauded by a financial industry player. Qui tam lawsuits are filed under the False Claims Act 31 U.S.C. §§ 3729 3733 and whistleblowers may be entitled to a portion of the money recovered after a successful prosecution.
Civil cases involving fraud and false claims against the government are complex, and few attorneys handle them. Our financial industry whistleblower lawyers in Charleston have decades of experience with both state and federal cases and are ready to represent and protect employees.
Employers often retaliate against whistleblowers even though it is unlawful. Retaliation can come in the form of firing, blacklisting, threats, disciplinary action, and intimidation. Whistleblower actions must only contribute to the retaliation and do not have to be the sole reason. When the retaliation occurs almost immediately after the employer learns of the whistleblower’s acts, the courts will presume the events are related.
The government allows whistleblowers to collect a percentage of the money received from financial institutions that commit fraud. The awards, with some restrictions, amount to between 10 and 30 percent. As an example, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) negotiates awards when useful information leads to a recovery of at least $1 million. A Charleston financial industry whistleblower attorney could assist with anonymous tips that can lead to awards.
When you are employed by a financial services company and have information about a person’s or entity’s unlawful loans, securities fraud, kickbacks, or any other impropriety, the government encourages you to share that information in return for a portion of the money it recovers.
If you have acted on whistleblower claims and your employer retaliates against you, those actions are also unlawful. It may seem like you are David fighting Goliath, but the attorneys at Bill Nettles are ready to help. Thanks to Mr. Nettles’s long career as a U.S. Attorney, South Carolina is one of the most active states in which people who defraud the government are held accountable. When you need guidance, contact a Charleston financial industry whistleblower lawyer.
