State and federal law protect employees who “blow the whistle” on their employers. These protections are intended to encourage people who have information about their employers’ unsafe or fraudulent practices to come forward. But how do you prove whistleblower retaliation? The whistleblower laws protect employees who report illegal employment...
The federal False Claims Act (FCA) is one of the most powerful tools in the federal government’s fraud-fighting arsenal. The FCA was passed during the Civil War to “root out fraud against the government.” Since 1863, Congress has updated the law several times to give it more teeth and...
According to a new bombshell report by the New York Times, a whistleblower has come forward testifying that Credit Suisse, who previously settled claims with the U.S. Government that it helped rich Americans hide money from the IRS and evade taxes, continued to brazenly help these individuals continue to...
The Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), created as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, is a crucial Covid-19 relief effort. Because the program is vulnerable to fraud whistleblowers are key to ensuring that taxpayers are not defrauded. The PPP gives monetary assistance to...
Is It Illegal to Record Conversations with My Boss or Coworkers? A common question that we get from clients is whether they can secretly record conversations or calls with co-workers, their boss, or HR. California is a “two-party consent” state, which means that it can be illegal to secretly record...
On February 25, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced two whistleblower awards totaling more than $1.7 million. Two Awards For More Than $1.7 Million The first of the two new awards for more than $900,000 was issued to a whistleblower who provided significant evidence connected to an ongoing investigation...
Last week, the US Department of Justice announced its first civil settlement of False Claims Act allegations against a PPP borrower. We are likely to see more PPP fraud cases under the new administration, particularly because new funds are being made available to distressed businesses as part of the...
Following Sacramento’s CBS13 blockbuster expose on failures at California’s new billion-dollar COVID testing lab and the company running the lab-PerkinElmer, the station has reported on a wild series of events, including systematic failures at the lab and potential destruction of evidence. Inconclusive Tests and Reduced Capacity Despite the fact...
On February 4, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced charges against investment adviser GPB Capital and individuals affiliated with the firm, including its owner and CEO, David Gentile and Jeffry Schneider, the owner of GPB Capital’s placement agent Ascendant Capital. The SEC alleged that the firm and its affiliates had...
Doctors, pharmacies, and pharmaceutical companies can make millions of dollars through prescription drug fraud. These schemes cost the taxpayers money because many drugs are paid for by government programs like Medicare or Medicaid and can hurt people everywhere by making insurance and health care more expensive for everyone. Whistleblowers are...