What is a whistleblower?
The term “whistleblower” is used to describe a person who bravely steps forward to report fraud against the government. The federal law known as the False Claims Act encourages citizens (whistleblowers) who know of specific instances of fraud against the government to file a civil lawsuit on behalf of the government and in return, if the government recovers money, the whistleblower is rewarded for coming forward with a percentage of the recovery, between 15% and 30% -- usually around 20%. If you have information on corporate fraud, it is important that you come forward as soon as possible because the whistleblower who reports the fraud first is the only person eligible for a reward. Also, notice of the fraud must be given to the government in the proper way to be effective. Additionally, it is imperative that you file your lawsuit in a timely fashion as there are statutes of limitation that require lawsuits be filed within a certain number of years from the fraudulent activity. A skilled lawyer is needed to help the whistleblower navigate the technical requirements of the False Claims Act to maximize the chances of receiving an award.