Qui Tam and the Whistleblower
While many people often connotatively associate the term “whistleblower” with something negative, this is not the case. In fact, individuals who choose to reveal corporate impropriety are providing a valuable service that the United States government appreciates and awards. Qui Tam litigation refers to just that. Specifically, if one party discovers that another party is in some way defrauding the United States government, then the party who informs the government of said fraud is entitled to a certain percentage of the monetary amount that the government was defrauded.
Qui Tam litigation can center around a variety of fraudulent activities in Oklahoma and throughout the United States. According to the False Claims Act, lawsuits may be brought against corporations or other entities that defraud the United States government by:
- Filing inaccurate paperwork that results in greater monetary disbursement being awarded to a company or other entity on behalf of the federal government
- Conspiring to commit a false claim that would result in monetary disbursement being awarded to a company or other entity from the federal government, even though such disbursement is not justified
- Delivering a false receipt to the government for its property or other assets
- Making a false statement to the government in order to avoid having to pay a debt or provide some other reimbursement to the government for property
Often times, false statements and field claims are made in the healthcare sector, with physicians or other medical professionals overbilling the government or seeking excess federal funding or reimbursement for services that were never performed in the first place. Acts like this increase government spending, which is ultimately connected to federal income tax rates that affect all United States citizens. Whistleblowers, therefore, are nothing more than individuals concerned with the well-being of the federal government, our way of life, and who are concerned that a stop is put to fraudulent activity of all kinds.
At Maples Law Firm, instances involving the False Claims Act are taken very seriously. If you have information pertaining to defrauding of the government, please don’t hesitate to contact our attorneys today for more information and a free case consultation. Call us today at (405) 705-5050 and allow us to help your case.