Information on False Claims Act Litigation
Abstract
The False Claims Act (FCA) is one of the governments primary weapons to fight fraud against the government. The Act, as amended in 1986, provides for penalties and triple damages for anyone who knowingly submits or causes the submission of false or fraudulent claims to the United States for government funds or property.1Under the FCAs qui tam provisions, a person with evidence of fraud, also known as a whistle blower or relator, is authorized to file a case in federal court and sue, on behalf of the government, persons engaged in the fraud and to share in any money the government may recover. The Department of Justice (DOJ) has the responsibility to decide on behalf of the government whether to join the whistle blower in prosecuting these cases. From fiscal years 1987 through 2005, settlements and judgments for the federal government in FCA cases have exceeded $15 billion, of which $9.6 billion, or64 percent, was for cases filed by whistle blowers under FCAs qui tam provisions.2 The whistle blowers share of the qui tam settlements and judgments was over $1.6billion during this period.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 31, 2006
- Accession Number
- AD1179341
Entities
People
- Laurie E. Ekstrand
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office