The False Claims Act exists to prosecute individuals and companies who submit fraudulent claims to the United States government. As important as the enforcement of this law is, the regulatory agencies with jurisdiction over this matter have limited resources.
As a result, the government often relies on whistleblowers to provide fresh information that leads to investigations. If these investigations result in convictions, parties may claim a reward through a writ of Qui Tam.
False Claims Act rewards in Columbia can serve as a motivating factor for people to come forward as whistleblowers. An attorney could provide more information about these rewards and how to go about claiming them.
The False Claims Act prohibits any party from knowingly making a fraudulent claim for payment against the United States government. According to 31 United States Code § 3729, this can include submitting a false voucher for payment, improperly applying for a loan, or submitting any information in the furtherance of these goals that a party knows to be false.
To assist in the prosecution of these crimes, 31 United States Code § 3730(c)(5) authorizes regulatory agencies to offer rewards to people who provide evidence as whistleblowers. Under the statute, this reward will be between 15 and 25 percent of the money recovered in the investigation if the information that a whistleblower provides proves to be useful. Parties can request these payments by submitting a writ of Qui Tam, and a lawyer could help to formulate these petitions.
Not just any person is able to collect a reward through a writ of Qui Tam under the False Claims Act. Some parties are always ineligible for payment due to their identity. Examples include:
Even if a person meets these eligibility requirements, not every instance of coming forward as a whistleblower will result in payment. The information that a whistleblower provides to the government must be new. In addition, this information must result in a conviction.
An attorney in Columbia can help to determine if an individual is eligible to pursue a reward. This includes helping individuals to gather more information about the illegal activity, forming detailed petitions when submitting the case to the government, and requesting rewards through writs of Qui Tam.
People who have information about an apparent violation of the False Claims Act may come forward as whistleblowers. From a patriotic standpoint, this is a way to serve one’s country. However, there is also a financial incentive to do so.
The False Claims Act allows whistleblowers to claim a percentage of the money recovered in the investigation as a reward. This can be from between 15 and 25 percent of the total. However, these rewards are available only to certain individuals who meet the eligibility requirements and submit new information to the relevant regulatory agency. An attorney in Columbia can provide more information about the Qui Tam rewards process and help to determine if a reward is possible for serving as a whistleblower.
