Whistleblower’s Account for
Over 81% of Civil Fraud
Recoveries in FY 2015
Washington, D.C. December 16, 2016. A statistical analysis of civil fraud recoveries obtained by the United States in FY 2015, released today by the National Whistleblower Center, reveals that whistleblower disclosures accounted for over 81% of civil fraud recoveries.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Division’s “Fraud Statistics Overview,” the taxpayers recovered $2.913 Billion from corporations and individuals who stole from numerous federal programs, based directly on original information provided to the government by whistleblowers.
Without the information provided by whistleblowers, the government was only able to recover $67 million from fraudsters.
In FY 2015 whistleblowers obtained $590 million in compensation. Since 1986, when the False Claims Act was modernized to encourage whistleblower disclosures, the average whistleblower award was $503,045 for each case filed.
“The False Claims Act fraud recovery program is the most successful whistleblower protection program in in the world,” said Stephen M. Kohn, Executive Director of the National Whistleblower Center and an attorney who has represented whistleblowers since 1984. “Whistleblower reward laws, such as the FCA, protect whistleblowers from retaliation, compensate them for risking their careers to serve the public interest, and recover billions of dollars for the taxpayer every year,” Kohn added.
“Without whistleblowers, the United States would not be able to defend itself against the numerous criminals and fraudsters who rip off the government,” Kohn said.
Related Links
Department of Justice, Civil Division, Fraud Statistics, Overview (November 23, 2015).