False Claims Act Attorney Notes False Claims Costly to Medicare

CALL US TOLL FREE FOR HELP: 1-800-632-1404

Employees often see fraudulent acts by their employer. There exists a process by which a company can be fined by the federal government for committing a fraudulent act — and the whistle blowing employee can receive a share of the government’s recovery. If you are an employee that wants to disclose wrongdoing by your employer, contact us immediately for a confidential communication.

THE SCOPE OF THE FRAUD

Amazingly, some estimates have suggested that approximately 10% of the entire annual United States budget is lost to companies or individuals who are defrauding the government. The United States Federal budget for 2010 was $3.456 billion, meaning around $345.6 million was wrongfully wasted on fraud.

The entities defrauding the government do so in a variety of ways: Medicare or Medicaid fraud whereby they bill the government for services which they never provided or overbill for services that were provided; SEC Trading; Tax Fraud; TARP Fraud; Military/Defense contract fraud; Pharmaceutical Manufacturing; contract fraud involving any number of large government spending programs; or other types public benefit fraud.

HELPING THE PUBLIC.

As a whistleblower attorney, we are interested in speaking with persons willing to make known the truth about company practices and are willing to file a qui tam or whistleblower action. One area in particular we are interested in discussing are lawsuits involving medical device companies where the company is alleged to have overcharged, engaged in kickback programs, and the like. We will nevertheless investigate claims in a variety of areas.

Workers and persons all across the country witness actions at their work that may be unlawful or even corrupt. Unfortunately, some employees and workers feel that they will be fired, terminated, harrassed or punished if they report an unlawful or corrupt action. These reporters, however, are protected by the law as a Whistleblower and can receive compensation because of the False Claims Act or the Medicaid False Claims Act. If you have reported actions that may be fraudulent, then you should talk to a Whistleblower or qui tam lawyer about your facts.

Whistleblowers help the government to get back billions of dollars each year with the help of the False Claims Act. In fact, fraudulent Medicaid claims are also caught by whistleblowers having the Medicaid False Claims Act on their side. If you report a false claim or fraudulent action to the government, then the government will give you, the whistleblower, a part of the money that gets recovered. This is because of qui tam requirements. Qui Tam means that a person files a lawsuit for the king and also for him or herself. The phrase is qui tam pro domino rege quam pro se ipso in hac parte sequitur, or, “he who sues for the king as well for himself.”

These requirements and lawsuits were made popular during the Civil War when many people were getting away with fraudulent actions against the government. In 1986, the False Claims Act was amended to raise the total compensation given to people who reported fraudulent actions, or whistleblowers. If a whistleblower works with a lawyer then it may be possible for them to get three times the amount the government would get in damages and also get additional compensation for general fines.

TYPES OF CASES

The most common situations that could form the basis of a Qui Tam action include:

-Submitting a false or fraudulent record, bill or statement to the government in order to fraudulently obtain money such as reporting a medical service that was never performed for Medicare or Medicad;
-Conspiring with a third party to submit or present have a false or fraudulent claim to the government;
-Withholding property of the government with the intent to defraud or conceal the property from the government;
-Fraudulently buying property of the government from someone not authorized to sell that property; and
-Making a false statement to fraudulently avoid paying money to the government or to avoid delivering property to the government.

THE PROCESS

We will meet with you and thoroughly investigate your case. As we mentioned, we will travel to see you, as we want to meet with you in person and review all documents you may have to support your case. We will then investigate on our own and prepare a complaint for filing in federal court. The case will be filed under seal, and served on the U.S. Attorney’s Office along with a Declaration of Evidence that is not filed but also served on the Government.

Once the case is filed, a United States Attorney investigates the lawsuit and underlying allegations of fraud for an initial period of 60 days. If after investigating the claim the U.S. Attorney believes the allegations of fraud are meritorious, the United States Government takes over the case and either enters into a settlement or continues the lawsuit against the wrongdoer. The Relator would then be entitled to a portion of the recovery despite the fact that the government has taken over the case.

The amount that the Relator would be entitled to receive would be approximately 15 percent to 25 percent of the decision. It is estimated that the government intervenes and takes over a case approximately 30 percent of the time.

FOR HELP, PLEASE CONTACT US.

We help whistleblowers on a contingency basis, meaning there is no fee charged for our work unless there is a recovery. We also front any and all expenses. No matter where you are located — we will represent you. We will come to you, you will not have to come to us.

Attorneys in our firm and attorneys that we work with on Whistleblower, Qui Tam, False Claims Act cases have represented a host of persons making claims, for violations of federal tax law, Medicare law and more.

For more information, please contact whitsleblower and qui tam attorney Ed Wallis at 1-800-632-1404 or send Mr. Wallis an email below for a free initial consultation.

August 12, 2011

Whistleblower Lawyer Reports Developments in Law

CALL US TOLL FREE FOR HELP: 1-800-632-1404

As a Memphis, Tennessee qui tam and whistleblower attorney, I wanted to share the following three reports on new whistleblower rules.

MarketWatch (8/11, Orol) reported Securities and Exchange Commission whistleblower chief Sean McKessy refuted criticisms that the new office will render companies’ internal reporting programs useless. The US Chamber of Commerce is among the office’s chief critics noting the agency doesn’t require whistleblowers to inform companies before contacting the SEC. McKessey told reporters Thursday that the program provides incentives for employers to improve their systems. He said some cases of wrongdoing would go unreported if employees had to notify their executives first. McKessy said the office, which opens Friday, has already amassed a number of good tips, some of which have significantly slashed the amount of time it would’ve taken the agency to conduct its own investigation.

Reuters (8/11, Shalal-Esa) reported the Dodd-Frank-mandated rule allows whistleblowers to earn between ten and 30 percent of rewards over one million dollars. McKessy said whistleblowers may receive greater compensation for notifying the company before contacting the SEC. Companies including JPMorgan Chase and Google have expressed concerns the rule will weaken their own programs. Companies also expressed concern the rules would prompt compliance officials and company attorneys to air companies’ dirty laundry in efforts to recover rewards. McKessey said such individuals could only offer tip in limited cases.

Joe Palazzolo reported in the Wall Street Journal‘s (8/11, Subscription Publication) “Corruption Currents” blog that McKessey said he’s been threatened with litigation over the rule from all sides. The US Chamber of Commerce is mulling such action following a successful takedown of Dodd-Frank’s proxy shareholder rule. The business group argued the SEC underestimated the costs to companies to execute the rule. Rep. Michael Grimm has introduced legislation that would require employees to access a company’s internal channels in order to qualify for an award. The office will open with seven members include McKessey, along with a website.

As a whistleblower attorney, we are interested in speaking with persons willing to make known the truth about company practices and are willing to file a qui tam or whistleblower action. One area in particular we are interested in discussing are lawsuits involving medical device companies where the company is alleged to have overcharged, engaged in kickback programs, and the like. We will nevertheless investigate claims in a variety of areas.

Workers and persons all across the country witness actions at their work that may be unlawful or even corrupt. Unfortunately, some employees and workers feel that they will be fired, terminated, harrassed or punished if they report an unlawful or corrupt action. These reporters, however, are protected by the law as a Whistleblower and can receive compensation because of the False Claims Act or the Medicaid False Claims Act. If you have reported actions that may be fraudulent, then you should talk to a Whistleblower or qui tam lawyer about your facts.

Whistleblowers help the government to get back billions of dollars each year with the help of the False Claims Act. In fact, fraudulent Medicaid claims are also caught by whistleblowers having the Medicaid False Claims Act on their side. If you report a false claim or fraudulent action to the government, then the government will give you, the whistleblower, a part of the money that gets recovered. This is because of qui tam requirements. Qui Tam means that a person files a lawsuit for the king and also for him or herself. These requirements and lawsuits were made popular during the Civil War when many people were getting away with fraudulent actions against the government. In 1986, the False Claims Act was amended to raise the total compensation given to people who reported fraudulent actions, or whistleblowers. If a whistleblower works with a lawyer then it may be possible for them to get three times the amount the government would get in damages and also get additional compensation for general fines.

For more information, please contact whitsleblower and qui tam attorney Ed Wallis at 1-800-632-1404 or send Mr. Wallis an email below for a free initial consultation.

August 12, 2011

False Claims Act and Qui Tam Lawyer Provides Help.

CALL US TOLL FREE FOR HELP: 1-800-632-1404

As a Memphis, Tennessee qui tam and whistleblower attorney, I wanted to share the following.

The Anti-Kickback Statute (“AKS”), 42 U.S.C. §1320a-7b(b), prohibits any person from knowingly and willfully offering to pay any remuneration to another person to induce the purchase, order, or recommendation of any good or item for which payment may be made in whole or in part under federal health care programs, including Medicare and Medicaid. As far back as 1994, the Department of Health & Human Services, through its Office of Inspector General (“HHS OIG”), addresses the question of when payments made to doctors-either by a hospital seeking referrals, or by a pharmaceutical company seeking prescriptions-would violated the AKA. HHS OIG, in a formal publication known as a Fraud Alert, made clear that the AKS was not limited to cash payments. Rather, gift that are “more than nominal in value” violate the AKS if they are tied in some way to referrals or prescriptions. See OIG Special Fraud Alerts, Dec. 19, 1994.

What was left unaddressed at that time was whether the claims made on federal health care programs as a result of such gifts were “false claims” subject to the False Claims Act (“FCA”). The intersection of the AKS and the FCA has now been clarified by the courts, in part through two appellate decisions issued this year.

U.S. ex rel. Hutcheson

On June 1, 2011, the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit handed down its decision in U.S. ex rel. Hutcheson v. Blackstone Medical, Inc., No. 10-1505. The Relator, Susan Hutcheson, worked as a Regional Manager of Blackstone for approximately two years. In her Complaint, Hutcheson alleged that “Blackstone paid kickbacks to doctors across the country so they would use its products in certain spinal surgeries.” The alleged “kickbacks,” according to Hutcheson’s complaint, including payments under “sham” consulting agreement, research grants, entertainment expenses, and “high-end” travel and accommodations. The surgeries conducted with Balckstone’s products included, surgeries on Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. Hutcheson alleged that these gifts and payment violated the AKS and, because compliance with the AKS is condition of receiving payment from Medicare, Blackstone knowingly caused healthcare providers to present false or fraudulent claims to the government when they submitted kickback-tainted claims.

The district court dismissed Hutcheson’s case under Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6), holding that Hutcheson failed to identify a materially false or fraudulent claim for purposes of the FCA. In doing so, the lower court employed a rigid interpretation of the express vs. implied certification framework laid out in some FCA jurisprudence and held that, because the relevant statutes and regulations did not expressly condition payment on AKS compliance, Hutcheson failed to state a claim under the “implied certification” theory. The district court also held that the claims submitted by the doctors were not materially false or fraudulent because, even though the doctors had submitted express false certifications, Hutcheson failed to allege that the kickbacks at issue induced doctors to submit claims for surgeries that were otherwise medically unnecessary.

On appeal, the First Circuit categorically rejected both the framework and substance of the lower court’s opinion. In doing so, the Court made clear that it would not “adopt any categorical rules as to what counts as a materially false or fraudulent claim under the FCA.” The Court further explained, “Courts have created these categories in an effort to clarify how different behaviors can give rise to a false or fraudulent claim. Judicially-created categories sometimes can help carry out a statute’s requirements, but they can also create artificial barriers that obscure and distort those requirements. The text of the FCA does not refer to ‘factually false’ or ‘legally false’ claims, nor does it refer to ‘express certification’ or ‘implied certification.’ Indeed it does not refer to ‘certification’ at all. … In light of this, and our view that these categories may do more to obscure than clarify the issues before us, we do not employ them here.”

The Court then went on to address the two primary issues in the case: (1) whether a claim can be false or fraudulent for impliedly misrepresenting compliance with a condition of payment if that condition is not expressly stated in the relevant statute or regulations; and (2) whether a certification of compliance made by the party actually submitting the claims to the government may incorporate an implied representation about the conduct of third parties.

In addressing the first question, the First Circuit rejected Blackstone’s reliance on non-binding case law-including the Second Circuit’s decision in Mikes v. Straus, 274 F.3d 687 (2d Cir. 2001)-for the proposition that FCA liability under the “implied certification” theory is limited to certifications of compliance with expressly stated preconditions of payment found in statutes or regulations. The Court noted that nothing in the FCA itself supported such a narrow reading and it rejected Blackstone’s protestations that failure to follow such an approach would lead to unchecked expansion of the FCA. To the contrary, the First Circuit explained that other checks-both in the plain language of the FCA and the relevant jurisprudence-exist to “cabin the breadth of the phrase ‘false or fraudulent’ as used in the FCA” including the knowledge and materiality requirements.

As to the second question related to “non-submitting party conduct[,]” the First Circuit again refused to impose limitations on FCA claims under the guise of “certification” theories. Specifically, the Court rejected Blackstone’s argument that a submitting entity’s truthful certification cannot be rendered false due to the unlawful acts of a non-submitting third party. Citing the provisions of the FCA that provide for liability against a person that “causes to be presented” a false claim or “causes to be made or used” a false record or statement, the First Circuit made it clear that FCA liability extends to non-submitting entities that knowingly cause a submitting entity to make false claims and that such liability is not conditioned “on whether the submitting entity knew or should have known about the non-submitting entity’s unlawful conduct.” And, again, the Court rejected Blackstone’s claims that such a holding would stretch the FCA beyond the intent of its drafters, noting, for example, that the term “causes”-and the case law concerning the meaning of that term-provides a necessary constraint.

U.S. ex rel. Wilkins

On June 30, 2011, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit issued its decision in United States ex rel. Wilkins v. United Health Group, Inc., No. 10-2747, which similarly concluded that violations of the AKS can give rise to liability under the FCA. Defendant United Health, through certain subsidiaries, offered Medicare Advantage plans (“MA plans”). Among the claims made by the Relator was the United Health made kickbacks to physicians for referring patients to the United Health MA plan. Relator alleged that these kickbacks violated the AKS, and thus that monies received by United Health from the government for the MA plans were obtained in violation of the FCA. The district court dismissed all of Relators claims, including the claims based upon the alleged AKS violations.

The Third Circuit reversed as the AKS violations. The Court adopted an “implied false certification” theory of liability under the FCA. The Court reasoned that not violating the AKS was a “condition of payment” for the MA plans. In other words, that had the government known of the alleged AKS violations, it would not have made payment to United Health. Adopting language from the government’s own amicus brief in the case, the Court noted that “[t]he Government does not get what it bargained for when a defendant is paid by [the Medicare system] for services tainted by a kickback.

In sum, both U.S. ex rel. Hutcheson and U.S. ex rel. Wilkins make clear that when a provider violates the AKS by making gifts or payments to physicians to induce the use of a particular product, or to induce a referral, that any subsequent claims to the Medicare or Medicaid systems may be considered “tainted,” and thus “false” within the meaning of the False Claims Act. We would note, finally, that this issue relates primarily to claims submitted prior to 2010, because a statutory amendment made as part of the 2010 healthcare overhaul legislation explicitly ties the AKS and the FCA. Congress amended the AKS to confirm that a “claim that includes items or services resulting from a violation of this section constitutes a false or fraudulent claim for purposes of [the False Claims Act]. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (“PPACA”), Pub. L. No. 111-148, §6402(f), 124 Stat. 119 (codified at 42 U.S.C. 1320a-7b(g)). Accordingly, on a going-forward basis there is no question that gifts to doctors in violation of the AKS can give rise to FCA liability.

Workers and persons all across the country witness actions at their work that may be unlawful or even corrupt. Unfortunately, some employees and workers feel that they will be fired, terminated, harrassed or punished if they report an unlawful or corrupt action. These reporters, however, are protected by the law as a Whistleblower and can receive compensation because of the False Claims Act or the Medicaid False Claims Act. If you have reported actions that may be fraudulent, then you should talk to a Whistleblower or qui tam lawyer about your facts.

For more information, please contact whitsleblower and qui tam attorney Ed Wallis at 1-800-632-1404 or send Mr. Wallis an email below for a free initial consultation.

August 8, 2011

Whistleblower Attorney Reports on Rejection of Whistleblower Case

CALL US TOLL FREE FOR HELP: 1-800-632-1404

As a Memphis, Tennessee qui tam and whistleblower attorney, I read a recent story from the AP wire that concerns the rejection by a jury of False Claims Act allegations.

The AP (8/5) reported a jury on Friday “ruled in favor of the security firm once known as Blackwater and rejected two ex-employees’ claims that the company overbilled the State Department for its work in Iraq and Afghanistan.” In their whistleblower lawsuit, Melan and Brad Davis claimed the firm, now called Xe Services, “falsified travel and labor records so it could defraud the government by overbilling for its work.” Company attorneys “argued that the Davises fundamentally misunderstood the company’s billing records and irresponsibly claimed fraud despite a lack of evidence.”

Workers and persons all across the country witness actions at their work that may be unlawful or even corrupt. Unfortunately, some employees and workers feel that they will be fired, terminated, harrassed or punished if they report an unlawful or corrupt action. These reporters, however, are protected by the law as a Whistleblower and can receive compensation because of the False Claims Act or the Medicaid False Claims Act. If you have reported actions that may be fraudulent, then you should talk to a Whistleblower or qui tam lawyer about your facts.

For more information, please contact whitsleblower and qui tam attorney Ed Wallis at 1-800-632-1404 or send Mr. Wallis an email below for a free initial consultation.

August 4, 2011

False Claims Act Whistleblower Lawyer Notes Added Protections

CALL US TOLL FREE FOR HELP: 1-800-632-1404

As a Memphis, Tennessee qui tam and whistleblower attorney, I read a recent story in the Business Insurance caught my eye.

The Business Insurance (8/3, Greenwald) reported the Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced Monday “it is introducing new measures to strengthen its whistle-blower protection program, and released an internal report detailing its top-to-bottom review of the program.” The agency is responsible for enforcing “the whistle-blower provisions of 21 statutes” shielding employees who report violations from retaliation. Changes have been made to OSHA’s “internal collection system … and its audit program has been strengthened and expanded.” And Federal and state whistleblower investigators are required to attend “a national whistle-blower training conference in September.”

Workers and persons all across the country witness actions at their work that may be unlawful or even corrupt. Unfortunately, some employees and workers feel that they will be fired, terminated, harrassed or punished if they report an unlawful or corrupt action. These reporters, however, are protected by the law as a Whistleblower and can receive compensation because of the False Claims Act or the Medicaid False Claims Act. If you have reported actions that may be fraudulent, then you should talk to a Whistleblower or qui tam lawyer about your facts.

For more information, please contact whitsleblower and qui tam attorney Ed Wallis at 1-800-632-1404 or send Mr. Wallis an email below for a free initial consultation.

August 3, 2011

Whistleblower and False Claims Act Lawyer Reports Fee Awarded to Whistleblower

CALL US TOLL FREE FOR HELP: 1-800-632-1404

As a Memphis, Tennessee qui tam and whistleblower attorney, I read a recent story in the Washington Post caught my eye.

Joe Davidson reported in the Washington Post’s (7/26) “Federal Diary” column that the US District Court in Washington on Monday approved a $970,000 award to a former Army Corp of Engineers employee “who was demoted after exposing problems with a US government contractor in Iraq.” Bunnatine Greenhouse, “who was the civilian procurement executive for the agency, objected to KBR [Kellogg Brown and Root] using its own cost projections for a multi-year no-bid, no competition contract.” Her complaint reached Congress and she was subsequently booted from the Senior Executive Service “and stripped of her top secret clearance.” Greenhouse said “her case demonstrates the need for legislation … for greater protection to aid federal whistleblowers.” Lawmakers and the Obama Administration are scrutinizing Federal employees’ benefits programs

Workers and persons all across the country witness actions at their work that may be unlawful or even corrupt. Unfortunately, some employees and workers feel that they will be fired, terminated, harrassed or punished if they report an unlawful or corrupt action. These reporters, however, are protected by the law as a Whistleblower and can receive compensation because of the False Claims Act or the Medicaid False Claims Act. If you have reported actions that may be fraudulent, then you should talk to a Whistleblower or qui tam lawyer about your facts.

For more information, please contact whitsleblower and qui tam attorney Ed Wallis at 1-800-632-1404 or send Mr. Wallis an email below for a free initial consultation.

August 3, 2011

Tennessee Whistleblower Attorneys Comments on Recent Qui Tam False Claims Act Case

CALL US TOLL FREE FOR HELP: 1-800-632-1404

As a Memphis, Tennessee qui tam and whistleblower attorney, I read a recent story in the New York Times caught my eye.

The AP /New York Times (8/2, Subscription Publication) reported the judge overseeing a whistleblower lawsuit alleging the former firm Blackwater “overbilled the government for labor and travel expenses while protecting State Department workers in Iraq and Afghanistan,” said the case “hangs by a thread.” After plaintiff Melan Davis and her attorney presented their case Tuesday, US District Judge TS Ellis III said it “had major holes” and wasn’t certain how it would last. Attorneys for Blackwater, now called Xe Services argue that Davis and her attorney misunderstood travel spreadsheets and said “the alleged double-billing … resulted when some contractors innocently missed scheduled flights because of the unpredictability of life in a war zone – everything from sandstorms to sniper fire.” Parts of the lawsuit have already been dismissed.

Workers and persons all across the country witness actions at their work that may be unlawful or even corrupt. Unfortunately, some employees and workers feel that they will be fired, terminated, harrassed or punished if they report an unlawful or corrupt action. These reporters, however, are protected by the law as a Whistleblower and can receive compensation because of the False Claims Act or the Medicaid False Claims Act. If you have reported actions that may be fraudulent, then you should talk to a Whistleblower or qui tam lawyer about your facts.

For more information, please contact whitsleblower and qui tam attorney Ed Wallis at 1-800-632-1404 or send Mr. Wallis an email below for a free initial consultation.

July 19, 2011

Whistleblower Lawyer Reports Michigan Qui Tam Lawsuit

As a Memphis, Tennessee qui tam and whistleblower attorney, I read a recent story from the state of Michigan about a qui tam whistle-blower lawsuit.

A Michigan court ruled in favor of a former nursing home respiratory manager who claimed was fired for cooperating with a state investigation involving resident deaths at the facility. The plaintiff, Elizabeth Williamson, was awarded $705,000 by a Wayne County Circuit Court, which deliberated for only 90 minutes, according to the Detroit Free Press. Williamson helped Michigan Department of Community Health officials who were investigating several serious incidents at Omni Continuing Care, which is operated by Ciena Healthcare Management, in Detroit.

You can read more of the story by clicking HERE.

Workers and persons all across the country witness actions at their work that may be unlawful or even corrupt. Unfortunately, some employees and workers feel that they will be fired, terminated, harrassed or punished if they report an unlawful or corrupt action. These reporters, however, are protected by the law as a Whistleblower and can receive compensation because of the False Claims Act or the Medicaid False Claims Act. If you have reported actions that may be fraudulent, then you should talk to a Whistleblower or qui tam lawyer about your facts.

For more information, please contact whitsleblower and qui tam attorney Ed Wallis at 1-800-632-1404 or send Mr. Wallis an email below for a free initial consultation.

July 15, 2011

Tennessee Whistleblower and Qui Tam Lawyer Reports on Former Medtronic Whistleblower Suits

As a Memphis, Tennessee qui tam and whistleblower attorney, I read a recent story in the Twin Cities’ StarTribune about Memphis-based Medtronic. The report speculates that Medtronic may be up for sale, and notes a storied past at the medical device manufacturer.

The story comments that the former three plus billion dollar purchase price may have been a bad move by the medical device giant. “[When initially purchase] sales took off when Infuse was approved by the FDA in 2001 for use in the lower back. But several whistleblower lawsuits followed, with allegations that Medtronic showered doctors with trips to chic resorts, lucrative consulting agreements and kickbacks to induce them to use its spine products. In 2006, Medtronic agreed to a $40 million settlement with the Justice Department to end the suits. The company admitted no wrongdoing.”

Workers and persons all across the country witness actions at their work that may be unlawful or even corrupt. Unfortunately, some employees and workers feel that they will be fired, terminated, harrassed or punished if they report an unlawful or corrupt action. These reporters, however, are protected by the law as a Whistleblower and can receive compensation because of the False Claims Act or the Medicaid False Claims Act. If you have reported actions that may be fraudulent, then you should talk to a Whistleblower or qui tam lawyer about your facts.

For more information, please contact whitsleblower and qui tam attorney Ed Wallis at 1-800-632-1404 or send Mr. Wallis an email below for a free initial consultation.

July 15, 2011

Memphis, Tennessee Whistleblower Lawyer Noted Recent Case Filed Against Blackwater Firm

As a Memphis, Tennessee qui tam and whistleblower attorney, I wanted to make you aware of a qui tam and whistleblower suit involving the former Blackwater security contracting firm.

The AP (7/14) reported the previously-named Blackwater security contracting firm was tagged with a second whistleblower lawsuit claiming the company defrauded the government by overcharging for its services. The company, now named Xe, allegedly “billed the State Department for sniper services from one individual who sat behind a desk. In at least one other case, the company allegedly billed for services provided by a marksman who had failed a required drug test.” The first suit, filed in 2008, is slated for a July trial. The suit, from a current and former employee, doesn’t specify how much the State Department was overcharged.

As a whistleblower attorney, we are interested in speaking with persons willing to make known the truth about company practices and are willing to file a qui tam or whistleblower action.

Workers and persons all across the country witness actions at their work that may be unlawful or even corrupt. Unfortunately, some employees and workers feel that they will be fired, terminated, harrassed or punished if they report an unlawful or corrupt action. These reporters, however, are protected by the law as a Whistleblower and can receive compensation because of the False Claims Act or the Medicaid False Claims Act. If you have reported actions that may be fraudulent, then you should talk to a Whistleblower or qui tam lawyer about your facts.

For more information, please contact whitsleblower and qui tam attorney Ed Wallis at 1-800-632-1404 or send Mr. Wallis an email below for a free initial consultation.