Corruption and fraud is as old as the history of the world. There are always people that try to benefit unfairly or illegally when they see an opportunity to do so. Fraud against the government is especially rife but government officials are also prone to commit acts of fraud. Of course, money thus wasted or stolen has to be paid by somebody and that somebody is the tax payer. Fortunately, when appointing a whistleblower attorney Seattle residents can report such cases and see it prosecuted successfully.
As far back as during the civil war President Lincoln enacted the False Claims Act. This was done due to the inordinate numbers of false claims lodged by suppliers that were hired to supply the Union Army. This act is still valid, but it has been amended in 1986 to include new categories of fraud and corruption. It remains the most effective tool for citizens to combat theft from the government.
The False Claims Act allows for qui tam. This basically means he that brings a claim on behalf of the Lord king and himself. Any citizen can therefore bring to light information that he believes evidences to be a violation of any law or regulation that leads to losses to the tax payer. Gross waste of funds, mismanagement and abuse of authority can all be reported in terms of this act.
Citizens are encouraged to report cases in terms of this act by being rewarded for their actions. In fact, citizens can sometimes be awarded substantial rewards. Between 15 and 25 per cent of the money recovered by the government is awarded to the plaintiff. Guilty defendants can be punished with amounts up to three times the damages suffered by the government and civil penalties of up to 11 thousand dollars on top of that.
Citizens pursuing these cases in court are referred to as relators. They are not rewarded if they simply report the matter to the authorities. They have to approach a lawyer and file the case themselves. Cases like these are not uncommon. In fact, just about 60 per cent of moneys recovered by the Justice Department is achieved by means of qui tam cases. Lawyers often accept these cases on a contingency basis.
When first filed, qui tam cases are held in camera. This means that the defendant is not notified of the matter. This is done to allow the Justice Department to investigate the validity of the case and to gather evidence against the defendant. It is also necessary to ensure that the plaintiff did not file the case with sinister motives.
Before approaching a lawyer, it is vital to gather as much information as possible. Documents, affidavits related to overheard conversations and details regarding the nature of the false claim should be gathered. The more information that can be presented the better. Lawyers that specialize in this type of case will not take on clients that only offer vague suspicions and hearsay evidence.
Fraud, in any form, is reprehensible. Anyone that learns about such actions should report it. The fact that those that do report such cases and that pursue them in court are rewarded should act as a powerful incentive. It is important, however, to use a lawyer that is experienced in this legal field.
As far back as during the civil war President Lincoln enacted the False Claims Act. This was done due to the inordinate numbers of false claims lodged by suppliers that were hired to supply the Union Army. This act is still valid, but it has been amended in 1986 to include new categories of fraud and corruption. It remains the most effective tool for citizens to combat theft from the government.
The False Claims Act allows for qui tam. This basically means he that brings a claim on behalf of the Lord king and himself. Any citizen can therefore bring to light information that he believes evidences to be a violation of any law or regulation that leads to losses to the tax payer. Gross waste of funds, mismanagement and abuse of authority can all be reported in terms of this act.
Citizens are encouraged to report cases in terms of this act by being rewarded for their actions. In fact, citizens can sometimes be awarded substantial rewards. Between 15 and 25 per cent of the money recovered by the government is awarded to the plaintiff. Guilty defendants can be punished with amounts up to three times the damages suffered by the government and civil penalties of up to 11 thousand dollars on top of that.
Citizens pursuing these cases in court are referred to as relators. They are not rewarded if they simply report the matter to the authorities. They have to approach a lawyer and file the case themselves. Cases like these are not uncommon. In fact, just about 60 per cent of moneys recovered by the Justice Department is achieved by means of qui tam cases. Lawyers often accept these cases on a contingency basis.
When first filed, qui tam cases are held in camera. This means that the defendant is not notified of the matter. This is done to allow the Justice Department to investigate the validity of the case and to gather evidence against the defendant. It is also necessary to ensure that the plaintiff did not file the case with sinister motives.
Before approaching a lawyer, it is vital to gather as much information as possible. Documents, affidavits related to overheard conversations and details regarding the nature of the false claim should be gathered. The more information that can be presented the better. Lawyers that specialize in this type of case will not take on clients that only offer vague suspicions and hearsay evidence.
Fraud, in any form, is reprehensible. Anyone that learns about such actions should report it. The fact that those that do report such cases and that pursue them in court are rewarded should act as a powerful incentive. It is important, however, to use a lawyer that is experienced in this legal field.
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