The Justice Department confirmed in a release issued on December 4 that it has been a record year for recoveries from the False Claims Act. In fact 2012 garnered the DOJ the “largest annual recovery in Department history.” Most of the recoveries were from actions filed under the whistleblower/qui tam provisions of the FCA. The DOJ release notes, “Of the $4.9 billion in fiscal year 2012 recoveries, a record $3.3 billion was recovered in whistleblower suits.”
“The whistleblowers who bring wrongdoing to the government’s attention are instrumental in preserving the integrity of government programs and protecting taxpayers from the costs of fraud,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart F. Delery. “We are extremely grateful for the sacrifices they make to do the right thing.”
“The Justice Department’s official recognition of the importance of whistleblowers in fraud detection is an important step forward,” stated Stephen Kohn, Executive Director of the National Whistleblowers Center, in response to the DOJ release. Kohn continued, “Whistleblower reward laws are the single most effective mechanism to induce employees with knowledge of fraud to risk their careers in serving the public interest.
The DOJ’s release is linked here.