Qui tam

When you think of someone becoming a whistleblower, you may think of famous cases like Deep Throat and Watergate in the 70’s, Mark Whitacre and the price-fixing case that made national headlines in 1992, the fraud investigator who discovered Bernie Madoff’s crimes, and other headline-news events. Being a whistleblower on fraud doesn’t usually end up on the six o’clock news, however. Often, it looks more like everyday American citizens who stumble upon fraud being perpetrated against the state or federal government. When these citizens bring this information to the light, they become qui tam (KEE-tam) whistleblowers. Many whistleblowers work for the institutions or people they discover are committing fraud. If you have discovered that your employer is defrauding the United States government, you may wonder whether or not it’s safe to bring your suspicions or knowledge to light. Here are some tips for protecting yourself when becoming a qui tam […]

While many people are aware of the impact whistleblowers can have on both their employers and society at large, it can be easy to confuse a basic whistleblower lawsuit with “qui tam” (pronounced “kee tam”  )suits under the False Claims Act. Also known as the “Lincoln Law”, the False Claims Act imposes liability on individuals or companies who are found to have financially defrauded the federal government.