The United States’ military outsources a substantial amount of its work to defense contractors. These parties can perform a variety of services ranging from the production of arms, to intelligence services, to data analysis.
Sadly, this process is highly susceptible to graft and fraud. Despite federal laws that explicitly prohibit this behavior, theft and misuse remain rampant. The Department of Defense and other government agencies rely heavily on reports from whistleblowers to identify and prosecute these illegal activities.
Serving as a whistleblower is not only the right thing to do, but it can also come with a reward. Filing a writ of Qui Tam alongside a report of fraud can result in a cash payment after a successful prosecution. A South Carolina defense contractor fraud lawyer could help you to file an initial report, demand compensation through Qui Tam, and even protect you from potential retaliation.
Doing business with the government comes with many responsibilities. Among this is the requirement to follow the law regarding filing claims for payment. The False Claims Act, contained in 31 United States Code § 3729, says that it is against the law for any party doing business with the government to knowingly submit a false claim for payment or benefits.
As applied to defense contractors, this may include:
For the most part, the Department of Defense relies on civilian whistleblowers to learn about these incidents. In fact, this is such an integral part of the process that these whistleblowers enjoy protection from retaliation in the workplace if they initiate a case or participate in a government investigation. A South Carolina defense contractor fraud whistleblower attorney could help to file initial complaints with the relevant regulatory agencies.
Serving as a whistleblower can be an altruistic act that helps the government save money and punish corruption. However, it can also result in a substantial reward. According to 31 United States Code § 3730(c)(5), acting as a whistleblower can result in a reward of between 15 and 25 percent of the funds recovered in a successful defense contractor fraud investigation.
However, only certain parties can pursue a reward through a writ of Qui Tam. Specifically, law enforcement agencies and parties who have a legal duty to report or investigate wrongdoing are never eligible for these payments. Additionally, the reward is only possible if the investigation centers around new information that the government did not already possess. A South Carolina defense contractor fraud Qui Tam attorney could help parties to pursue appropriate rewards for acting as whistleblowers.
Acting as a whistleblower is often the right thing to do. The government relies on people like you to retain funds and keep defense contractors honest. Filing a complaint as a whistleblower can lead to important investigations as well as bring substantial monetary rewards.
The most common way to accomplish this is to provide evidence of violations of the False Claims Act. These can include overbilling, improper bidding, and other examples of fraud. If this information results in a successful prosecution that recovers money, you can claim a percentage of that money through a writ of Qui Tam.
Reach out to a South Carolina defense contractor fraud lawyer today. They are prepared to explain the False Claims Act and how it affects potential whistleblowers. They can also help to shield you against potential retaliation and seek out the rewards that you deserve.
