Whistleblower / Qui Tam
St. Louis & Jefferson City Whistleblower / Qui Tam Lawyers
At Dashtaki Law Firm, we represent whistleblowers in qui tam cases against corporations or government contractors who cheat U.S. taxpayers. Located in St. Louis and Jefferson City, Missouri, the whistleblower lawyers at Dashtaki Law Firm have extensive experience combating medical, mortgage and financial fraud. When you need a whistleblower attorney to fight for you, the whistleblower lawyers at Dashtaki Law Firm stand ready to protect your rights and assist you and taxpayers expose fraud against the goverment.
Also known as a qui tam lawsuit, whistleblower lawsuits are brought against individuals and corporations who fraudulently bill the government and, ultimately, U.S. taxpayers. Qui tam or whistleblower lawsuits are brought by an individual or employee with knowledge of the fraud against the fraudsters, but allows both the government and person reporting the fraud to collect a recovery taken as a result of the fraud. Fraudulent use of government funds can include over-billing, billing for services not rendered, misappropriation of funds, embezzling and many other schemes for cheating taxpayers. If you feel that your employer or a government contractor is cheating taxpayers, contact an experienced whistleblower lawyer immediately to understand your legal rights because you have a very limited time to take action, as any delay may cause you to lose your rights.
What is a Qui Tam Action?
Under the federal False Claims Act, a qui tam legal action is any action brought by a person against a government contractor that the individual suspects, or knows, is committing an act of fraud against the U.S. government. The qui tam provision allows private citizens to file fraud charges, and bring suit, in the name of the U.S. government, against government contractors, and others who receive government funds. The qui tam provision also allows the person pursuing the action to share in any money recovered.
What Actions Are Considered Violations under the False Claims Act?
The False Claims Act allows whistleblowers to bring a lawsuit on behalf of the United States when the whistleblower has direct knowledge of government fraud in the following. Fraudulent use of government funds can include over-billing, billing for services not rendered, misappropriation of funds, embezzling and many other schemes for cheating taxpayers, including:
- Incomplete or improper construction
- Bill Padding or excessive markup on outside vendor products or service contracts
- Double billing
- Overcharging
- Questionable quality control practices
- Delivering substandard or poor quality products
- Non-conformance to prevailing wage or overtime laws on federal construction projects
- Adding unnecessary services or product features
- Waste or abuse of medical or educational research grants
- Non-conformance to contract specifications
- Improper billing practices
- Other fraudulent practices
Fraud against the government comes in many shapes and forms — leaving taxpayers to foot the bills. The whistleblower lawyers at Dashtaki Law Firm have the in-depth experience and steadfast commitment to see every claim through until justice is done. The most common types of government fraud include:
- Medicaid Fraud
- Medicare Fraud
- Healthcare Fraud
- Procurement Fraud
- Mortgage Fraud
- Financial Fraud
- SEC Fraud
- Tax Fraud
- Pharmaceutical Fraud
- Prevailing Wage Fraud
- Education Fraud
- Scientific, Medical or Health Research Grant Fraud
- Defense Contractor Fraud
- Government Contractor / Construction Fraud
- Education Fraud
Who can file a qui tam action?
Any persons or entities with evidence of fraud against federal programs or contracts may file a qui tam lawsuit. However, if the government or a private party has already filed a qui tam or whistleblower lawsuit based on the same evidence as you, you cannot bring a lawsuit.
Whistleblower rewards
To encourage the reporting of fraud in government contracts, the federal False Claims Act allows the whistleblower to receive between 15 and 25% of the amount recovered, including damages and fines. If the government does not opt to participate in your lawsuit, but you are still successful, you can receive between 15% and 30% of the amount recovered. Qui tam lawsuits are complex. They have very specific rules that you must follow. One rule is that your allegations of government fraud must filed “under seal” (i.e., kept secret until they can be reviewed by the federal government), which allows the government to investigate the reported fraud. Once the government has completed its initial investigation, it decides whether to join your case or not. Sometimes, the government decides not to participate, and you can bring your own lawsuit. If you violate the government’s rules, you will lose your right to a qui tam reward. If you think you have a qui tam case, you should immediately contact a qui tam lawyer because only the first person who reports government fraud can receive a portion of the qui tam reward.
Whistleblower protections
The False Claims Act prohibits whistleblower retaliation. The Act provides protection for employees who report government fraud and pursue lawsuits against their employers. Under the False Claims Act, your employer cannot fire you, demote you, reduce your pay, threaten, harass or otherwise discriminate against you for your participation in a whistleblower lawsuit. The law provides tough penalties for any retaliation by your employer for filing a whistleblower lawsuit. This includes forced reinstatement along with lost wages and penalties. Contact an experienced whistleblower attorney immediately to understand your legal rights because you have a very limited time to take action, as any delay may cause you to lose your rights.
Contact an experienced whistleblower lawyer today
Qui tam cases can be highly complex, so it is essential to speak with an experienced whistleblower attorney immediately. The qui tam attorneys at Dashtaki Law Firm can help you if you believe that your employer or a government contractor is cheating the government, but you must act quickly because qui tam or whistleblower cases have very strict statute of limitations. The whistleblower attorneys at Dashtaki Law Firm will support you through the process and offer choices to protect your rights. If you have information that a government contractor is overcharging, utilizing improper billing practices or engaging in other fraudulent practices on government contracts or services, contact the experienced whistleblower lawyers at Dashtaki Law Firm today to understand your legal rights because you have a very limited time to take action, as any delay may cause you to lose your rights.
The Dashtaki Law Firm offers a free and confidential initial consultation to review your case. Contact the attorneys at Dashtaki Law Firm today so that we can begin our investigation.
The whistleblower attorneys at Dashtaki Law Firm, LLC, serve clients throughout Missouri, including St. Louis City, St. Louis County, Jefferson County, St. Charles County, Franklin County, Cole County, Boone County, Camden County, Callaway County, Osage County, Moniteau County, Miller County, Morgan County, Warren County, Jefferson City, Columbia, Lake of the Ozarks, Osage Beach, Camdenton, Fulton, Linn, Tipton and California, MO.
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