Whistleblowers Help Us All

In a time when it gets increasingly difficult for politicians to agree on regulations, reign in the cost of healthcare or control financial institutions, one strong person can make a difference. Under the False Claims Act any person, business or entity that defrauds the federal government of the American taxpayers’ money can be reported by an internal whistleblower.

An internal whistleblower’s courage to step forward reveals fraudulent activity of a company. Because of the courage it takes to step forward, the federal government allows the whistleblower to recover between 15 percent and 30 percent of the ultimate recovery. The ultimate recovery is the amount the person, company or entity defrauded our government.

Some examples of recent whistleblowers include a former employee of Citigroup reporting how Citigroup continued to falsify mortgages before, during and even after the most recent banking financial crisis and into even 2012; an employee of a hospital who reported the hospital was inflating the charge of pacemakers and defibrillators to the Department of the Defense and Veteran Affairs; and an employee of a Medical Device Company who reported the kickbacks given to doctors to get orders for the device paid for by Medicare.

Unfortunately, instances where companies defraud the government and cost us all are everywhere. Thankfully, some citizens have the courage to stand up.