Qui Tam Lawsuit
WHAT IS A QUI TAM LAWSUIT?
Fraud against the government is an ever growing abuse. In an effort to combat this fraud, the False Claims Act has been used to hold those responsible for the fraud liable for monetary damages. Private individuals are given standing to file a civil lawsuit on the Federal government's behalf by the False Claims Act's qui tam, or "whistleblower" provisions. Qui tam is short for qui tam pro domino rege quam pro se ipso in hac parte sequitur or "he who brings the action for the king as well as for himself [sic]."
The False Claims Act, 31 V.S.C. § 3729 et seq., establishes liability when any person or entity improperly receives from or avoids payment to the Federal government. In summary, the Act prohibits:
WHISTLEBLOWER CLAIMS
- Knowingly presenting, or causing to be presented to the Government a false claim for payment;
- Knowingly making, using, or causing to be made or used, a false record or
statement to get a false claim paid or approved by the government;
- Conspiring to defraud the Government by getting a false claim allowed or
paid;
- Falsely certifying the type or amount of property to be used by the
Government;
- Certifying receipt of property on a document without completely knowing that
the information is true;
- Knowingly buying Government property from an unauthorized officer of the
Government, and;
- Knowingly making, using, or causing to be made or used a false record to
avoid, or decrease an obligation to payor transmit property to the
Government.