CBS Show Whistleblower Helps Highlight the Fight against Wrongdoing

If you haven’t seen the CBS show Whistleblower yet, you’re missing out. Each week, the show covers a different case of fraud committed at taxpayers’ expense, and how honest, every day people are making a difference in our country. So far, the show has looked at companies overcharging school districts for cafeteria food, doctors who performed unnecessary cardiac procedures, dangerous errors with electronic health records, and more.

Two of the episodes, however, looked at qui tam actions: cases where people are defrauding the government of money. In one episode, a man working for Northrop, one of our county’s top defense contractors, discovered that the company was improperly billing the government for its products. In another – the episode which aired most recently – “Dr. Aaron Westrick blew the whistle on Second Chance Body Armor and Toyobo Co., Ltd. after he says the two companies conspired to keep the defects of Zylon® a secret, failing to warn law enforcement and the military that the bulletproof vests made with Zylon® were wearing out well before their 5-year warranty.”

Shows like Whistleblower (and movies like Erin Brockovich, The Insider and The Informant!) are helpful, in that they show us all what happens when corporate greed leads to cutting corners and covering up crimes. What they don’t always highlight, though, is how exacting these cases can be. For example, the qui tam lawsuit against the makers of the defective police vests took 14 years to come to fruition. Not all cases take that long, but as they say: the wheels of justice grind slowly but exceedingly fine.

How do I know if I have a qui tam action?

While anyone who uncovers corporate greed can file a whistleblower case, qui tam actions are reserved specifically for fraudulent actions which violate the False Claims Act. When you work for a company which does business with the federal government, and you uncover fraud or illegal activity by that company, you can be compensated for your role in bringing the wrongdoers to justice.

If you are unsure if you have a claim, you should come see us, with whatever documentation or evidence you have. Do not quit your job; it is better for your case if you can continue to work. We will file the appropriate paperwork and documentation with the Department of Justice, who will then review it. If they decide to intervene, and the DOJ is successful, you will generally be compensated anywhere between 15% and 30% of the amount recovered.

Even the DOJ decided it does not wish to intervene, however, that does not mean you cannot file a whistleblower claim. In some circumstances, we may be able to file a claim on your behalf, instead of the behalf of the DOJ. When you sit down for a consultation with us, we will review your options, and tell you the honest truth about whether or not we think you would be successful.

If you haven’t checked out Whistleblower yet, you should. It’s a pretty interesting show – and it’s always good to see that justice can, and will, be served. If you believe you have uncovered evidence of fraud being perpetrated against the government, you can rely on Plattner Verderame P.C. to help. Contact our Phoenix qui tam attorneys today for a confidential consultation by calling 602-266-2002, or filling out our contact form.

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• Whistleblowers Saved the U.S. Government More than $4 Billion in 2016
• Feds Join Whistleblower Suit Against Concrete Company