Whistleblower Overview
Bernstein Liebhard has over twenty-five years of litigation experience, recovering billions of dollars for its clients.
Do you have information that could expose wrongdoing? Want to blow the whistle on corruption? You can do the right thing and protect your rights. Federal and state laws protect and reward whistleblowers for coming forward to report fraud. The whistleblower attorneys at Bernstein Liebhard can protect you if you come forward and make sure that your employer does not unlawfully retaliate.
Federal whistleblower programs provide financial rewards to individuals who report fraud to the government under The False Claims Act (the “FCA”) and The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Protection Act. The Internal Revenue Service also has an IRS Whistleblower Program. These programs allow private individuals (“whistleblowers” or “relators”) to bring qui tam lawsuits against individuals or entities defrauding the government. If successful, whistleblowers may receive a portion of the recoveries. Many states and cities, including both New York State and New York City, have also enacted whistleblower statutes.
Recoveries can be substantial.
In 2018, the Department of Justice recovered over $2.9 billion from companies that defrauded the federal government – $2.1 billion of which came from Qui tam cases.
Whistleblowers recovered over $300 million for reporting fraud in 2018, with $39 million being awarded to a single whistleblower.
Fraud against the government comes in many forms and anyone who possesses inside knowledge about a fraud against the government can file a claim as a whistleblower.
Blowing the whistle on fraud can be complicated. Bernstein Liebhard has the experience and resources necessary to guide you through the whistleblower process and potential pitfalls. If you choose to blow the whistle on fraud, the whistleblower attorneys at Bernstein Liebhard can help. Our whistleblower lawyers will commit the time and resources necessary to help you receive compensation for the risks you take when blowing the whistle on fraud. For more information about the firm’s Qui Tam/Whistleblower Practice Group, Contact Michael S. Bigin or Laurence J. Hasson for more information.