A significant portion of the employees in the Charleston area work for government contractors. These are private companies that bid on contracts offered by the government to provide goods or services. Many businesses earn millions of dollars in profit every year by operating on this model.
Sadly, the temptation to increase profits can lead these companies to commit fraud. This is an illegal activity strictly prohibited under federal law. Even so, this occurs so often that the government is unable to uncover every instance of fraud. As such, it often relies on private citizens to come forward as whistleblowers with information about illegal activities.
A Charleston government contractor fraud lawyer may be able to help you if you believe that you are a witness to fraud. This includes explaining the relevant federal laws, forming a complaint, and demanding a reward for your information through a writ of Qui Tam.
All parties that deal with the federal government must do so in good faith. This is especially true when an entity attempts to collect payment from the government. Because contractors provide goods or services to the government, they are usually right to expect payment. However, situations do arise when these companies attempt to cheat or defraud the government.
Examples can include providing goods of inferior quality, overcharging for hours on a project, falsifying timecards, and submitting false bids for contracts. According to 31 United States Code § 3729, it is illegal to knowingly submit any false bid to the government for payment. This is called the False Claims Act. People who believe that they have witnessed these illegal acts should contact a Charleston government contractor fraud whistleblower attorney now. An attorney could provide more information about the False Claims Act and help to further develop a complaint.
Speaking out when a person observes a fraudulent act is always the right thing to do. However, the government has taken steps to encourage this behavior by offering rewards for information that leads to convictions.
These payments are only available under limited circumstances. A party seeking a reward must attach a writ of Qui Tam to their complaint alleging violations of the False Claims Act. Additionally, this complaint must contain new information that the government did not previously know. Finally, parties who are members of law enforcement or who have a duty under the law to report fraud are not eligible for this program.
A Charleston government contractor fraud whistleblower lawyer could help individuals who are looking to collect a reward. According to 31 United States Code § 3730(c)(5), a successful writ of Qui Tam could result in payments of between 15 and 25 percent of the funds that the government recovers in the case.
Fraud is common in the government contractor world. These companies earn their profits by collecting on government contracts. The temptation is always there to not provide proper goods, cheat the government out of services, or commit other knowingly false acts and demanding payment.
A Charleston government contractor fraud lawyer may be able to help you if you believe that you have information concerning fraud. This can include performing an investigation into the incident, forming comprehensive complaints to submit to the government, and demanding a proper reward through a writ of Qui Tam. Reach out to a lawyer in Charleston today to learn more.
