UK Contemplates Qui Tam Provision
It has recently been reported that the British government is contemplating the creation of a reward system, with qui tam provisions similar to the False Claims Act, to encourage whistleblowers to come forward with necessary information to root out government fraud and other white-collar crime.
The U.K. Home Office, acting in concert with other British agencies, are examining the qui tam provisions contained in the False Claims Act, as well as the IRS and SEC Whistleblower programs. As of now, the British government does not financially reward individuals for revealing original information used by the government to thwart fraud. Due to the recognized potential and actual hardships associated with the courageous act of blowing the whistle, as a seasoned False Claims Act attorney, I feel the addition of a qui tam provision will greatly assist our allies across the pond in its fight against government fraud.
As reported in the New York Times here, Britain’s government will “consider the case for incentivizing whistleblowing, including the provision of financial incentives, to support whistleblowing in cases of fraud, bribery and corruption,” the Home Office said as part of a document announcing the new National Crime Agency (“NCA”) in Britain. The NCA is Britain’s closest equivalent to the FBI. Although discussions concerning a qui tam provision have commenced, there is no deadline regarding a decision on the same.
Since 1986, the Department of Justice’s civil fraud section has recovered more than $20 billion in settlements and judgments, including whistleblower actions. It is well-recognized that the qui tam provisions of the FCA provide strong incentive for citizens to assist the government in preventing and deterring fraud.
In 2011, the SEC established its own whistleblower program pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Act, the financial industry reform bill passed in response to the financial crisis. Under the SEC’s program, whistleblowers who supply original information that results in sanctions exceeding $1 million can receive rewards representing up to 30 percent of those sanctions. The SEC on numerous occasions has praised the legislatures’ inclusive of a qui tam provision which, according to Mary Jo White, SEC Chairwoman, “has had a big impact on our investigations by providing us with high quality, meaningful tips.”
I am hopeful that the British government will recognize and appreciate the importance of our qui tam provisions and establish its own incentives to reward courageous whistleblowers for their vital information.
Young Law Group is a nationwide leader in whistleblower representation and has successfully represented numerous clients in some of the nation’s largest qui tam cases for over a decade. For a free confidential consultation, please call Eric L. Young, Esquire at (800) 590-4116 or complete our online form.