BIG Rewards to the Client:
Federal and state law protects employees and others who “blow the whistle” on those defrauding the government. The government WANTS people to report fraud and rewards those who do! A successful whistleblower commonly is awarded between 15 and 30% of the government’s recovery. Where successful, these cases typically involve millions of dollars in damages and penalties, providing a significant incentive and reward to the whistleblower for exposing the fraud.

Fraud on the Government.
Malkinson & Halpern’s whistleblower and False Claims Act attorneys provide discrete, proactive legal counseling and representation to employees, independent contractors and others with knowledge of false billing to the government. False billing arises in an array of circumstances, including where a company misrepresents the amount or type of services it provided, or delivers a different product or service to the government than it was supposed to. These are also called qui tam actions.

PROTECTION AND SUCCESS UNDER THE ACT IS ONLY ACHIEVED BY TAKING VERY SPECIFIC STEPS.  Please contact a Malkinson & Halpern whistleblower/False Claims Act attorney now to be sure your rights and your potential reward are protected and preserved.

Whistleblower Basics.
The federal False Claims Act, also known as the “Lincoln Law,” was first enacted during the Civil War to deter war profiteering by government contractors. It allows a person with knowledge of fraud on the government to sue, on behalf of the government, the defrauding company and all culpable individuals. If successful, a guilty party must pay the government three times the amount of proven damages plus a penalty of $5,500 - $11,000 for each false invoice or request for payment.

Illinois and many other states also have false claims acts that protect state and local governments in the same manner and provide similar rewards to the whistleblower. Often, claims are available under both state and federal statutes, rendering the potential penalties and rewards even greater.

Any false or fraudulent request for funds that the recipient is not entitled to is covered by the False Claims Act. Click here for examples of common types of fraud and misrepresentation that can support a valid claim.

NEW!  Securities Fraud Whistleblowers.
In July of 2010 congress passed the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Under the Act, employees who blow the whistle on securities fraud by company insiders are protected against retaliation and can be awarded 10% to 30% if, as a result of the whistleblower’s “original information”, at least $1 million is recovered by the SEC. The SEC will typically keep the whistleblower’s identity secret unless and until it has to be provided in a public proceeding on the matter.

Contact Malkinson & Halpern for a FREE consultation regarding your Whistleblower claim