It is a sad fact that there always was always will be people that exploit their positions to steal from the government. Fraud is a widespread crime and it is not always easy to catch the perpetrators. Those guilty of defrauding the government salve their consciences by convincing themselves that it is not really wrong to take from the government. Upstanding citizens can, however, help fight this scourge. Being represented by a whistleblower attorney Seattle residents can bring this type of criminal to task.
The False Claims Act, or Lincoln Act as it is also known, was introduced by President Lincoln during the civil war. The purpose of the Act was to prevent fraudulent claims made upon the government by contractors that were appointed to supply the Union Army. This act remains in place to this day, although it was amended in 1986. It remains the most important weapon that tax payers have to recover billions falsely charged by contractors.
An interesting an unusual part of this Act is that it allows for qui tam. This means that private citizens can also prosecute alleged fraudsters, abusers of authority and those suspected of illegal acts in a court of law. It is not only the Justice Department that is allowed to pursue these types of criminal cases. Any citizen with prove of fraudulent acts by an individual or organization can take the case to court.
Citizens are encouraged to report cases in terms of this act by being rewarded for their actions. In fact, citizens can sometimes be awarded substantial rewards. Between 15 and 25 per cent of the money recovered by the government is awarded to the plaintiff. Guilty defendants can be punished with amounts up to three times the damages suffered by the government and civil penalties of up to 11 thousand dollars on top of that.
Private citizens filing this type of case are called relators. If they wish to share in the amount recovered during the case, they have to pursue it with their own lawyers. Almost two thirds of moneys recovered in such cases are due to cases filed by private citizens. The rewards awarded these plaintiffs can be very substantial. Lawyers specializing in this field routinely accept cases on a contingency basis.
Once a case is filed, the Justice Department needs some time to investigate the matter. They need to gather evidence against the defendant and the also need to make sure that the plaintiff actually has a valid case. That is why the case is sealed for sixty days after it is filed. This also means that the defendant is not informed about the case during this period.
When approaching a lawyer, it is vital to present as much evidence as is possible. It is no use pursuing a case on the basis of hearsay or suspicions. Because these cases are taken on a contingency basis, the lawyer will need to make certain that there is a reasonable chance of success in court.
Fraud and corruption is part of life and always has been. However, if would be perpetrators know that they will be punished very severely if caught, they may think twice. It is the duty and responsibility of every citizen to report such cases. The fact that they can be rewarded handsomely should act as a motivating factor.
The False Claims Act, or Lincoln Act as it is also known, was introduced by President Lincoln during the civil war. The purpose of the Act was to prevent fraudulent claims made upon the government by contractors that were appointed to supply the Union Army. This act remains in place to this day, although it was amended in 1986. It remains the most important weapon that tax payers have to recover billions falsely charged by contractors.
An interesting an unusual part of this Act is that it allows for qui tam. This means that private citizens can also prosecute alleged fraudsters, abusers of authority and those suspected of illegal acts in a court of law. It is not only the Justice Department that is allowed to pursue these types of criminal cases. Any citizen with prove of fraudulent acts by an individual or organization can take the case to court.
Citizens are encouraged to report cases in terms of this act by being rewarded for their actions. In fact, citizens can sometimes be awarded substantial rewards. Between 15 and 25 per cent of the money recovered by the government is awarded to the plaintiff. Guilty defendants can be punished with amounts up to three times the damages suffered by the government and civil penalties of up to 11 thousand dollars on top of that.
Private citizens filing this type of case are called relators. If they wish to share in the amount recovered during the case, they have to pursue it with their own lawyers. Almost two thirds of moneys recovered in such cases are due to cases filed by private citizens. The rewards awarded these plaintiffs can be very substantial. Lawyers specializing in this field routinely accept cases on a contingency basis.
Once a case is filed, the Justice Department needs some time to investigate the matter. They need to gather evidence against the defendant and the also need to make sure that the plaintiff actually has a valid case. That is why the case is sealed for sixty days after it is filed. This also means that the defendant is not informed about the case during this period.
When approaching a lawyer, it is vital to present as much evidence as is possible. It is no use pursuing a case on the basis of hearsay or suspicions. Because these cases are taken on a contingency basis, the lawyer will need to make certain that there is a reasonable chance of success in court.
Fraud and corruption is part of life and always has been. However, if would be perpetrators know that they will be punished very severely if caught, they may think twice. It is the duty and responsibility of every citizen to report such cases. The fact that they can be rewarded handsomely should act as a motivating factor.
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