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.
An interesting an unusual part of this Act is that it allows for qui tam. This means that private citizens can also prosecute alleged fraudsters, abusers of authority and those suspected of illegal acts in a court of law. It is not only the Justice Department that is allowed to pursue these types of criminal cases. Any citizen with prove of fraudulent acts by an individual or organization can take the case to court.
Citizens filing this type of case do not always do out out of patriotism or a strong sense of duty. They have an incentive to pursue these cases. If the case is prosecuted successfully, the defendant can be fined up to three times the amount involved in the case. In addition, civil penalties of up to eleven thousand dollars can be imposed. The citizen that filed the case will be awarded between 15 and 25 per cent of the amount thus recovered.
Whistleblowers, referred to as relators in these cases, need to appoint their own lawyers if they wish to share in the recovery made by the government. At present, almost 60 per cent of recoveries made by the government came about due to relators reporting and pursuing cases. Fortunately, most lawyers that take on such cases will act on a contingency basis.
Once a case is filed, the Justice Department needs some time to investigate the matter. They need to gather evidence against the defendant and the also need to make sure that the plaintiff actually has a valid case. That is why the case is sealed for sixty days after it is filed. This also means that the defendant is not informed about the case during this period.
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.
Tax payers have to foot the bill for fraudulent acts by unscrupulous people and organizations. The False Claims Act gives them the opportunity to do something about it and to get a reward to boot. Anyone that becomes aware of fraud, mismanagement or illegal acts should report the matter without delay.
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.
An interesting an unusual part of this Act is that it allows for qui tam. This means that private citizens can also prosecute alleged fraudsters, abusers of authority and those suspected of illegal acts in a court of law. It is not only the Justice Department that is allowed to pursue these types of criminal cases. Any citizen with prove of fraudulent acts by an individual or organization can take the case to court.
Citizens filing this type of case do not always do out out of patriotism or a strong sense of duty. They have an incentive to pursue these cases. If the case is prosecuted successfully, the defendant can be fined up to three times the amount involved in the case. In addition, civil penalties of up to eleven thousand dollars can be imposed. The citizen that filed the case will be awarded between 15 and 25 per cent of the amount thus recovered.
Whistleblowers, referred to as relators in these cases, need to appoint their own lawyers if they wish to share in the recovery made by the government. At present, almost 60 per cent of recoveries made by the government came about due to relators reporting and pursuing cases. Fortunately, most lawyers that take on such cases will act on a contingency basis.
Once a case is filed, the Justice Department needs some time to investigate the matter. They need to gather evidence against the defendant and the also need to make sure that the plaintiff actually has a valid case. That is why the case is sealed for sixty days after it is filed. This also means that the defendant is not informed about the case during this period.
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.
Tax payers have to foot the bill for fraudulent acts by unscrupulous people and organizations. The False Claims Act gives them the opportunity to do something about it and to get a reward to boot. Anyone that becomes aware of fraud, mismanagement or illegal acts should report the matter without delay.
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