Category: WHISTLEBLOWERS
What should I do if I have evidence of fraud against the government?
With changing times and expanding needs, the government finds itself increasingly reliant on the private sector to help deliver an array of services. As the private sector’s role has expanded, one thing remains constant: some businesses cheat—they commit fraud against the government. These deceptive practices date back to the Civil War era. When a person …
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What is the False Claims Act?
Fraud against the government is nothing new. It’s an age-old problem dating back to the Civil War era when contractors supplied the army with broken guns, sand-packed bullets, lame pack mules, cardboard boots and more. President Lincoln asked Congress for a law setting severe financial penalties those who engaged in the practice. Today, the False Claims Act (FCA) —also known as the original …
Forged Under Civil War Fire, The False Claims Act Continues To Serve As Basis For Private Citizens To Blow The Whistle On Would-Be Fraudsters Of The Government Trust
Forged Under Civil War Fire, The False Claims Act Continues To Serve As Basis For Private Citizens To Blow The Whistle On Would-Be Fraudsters Of The Government Trust Under a little-known law, private citizens with knowledge of fraud against the government can bring a lawsuit against the offending organization. Called the False Claims Act, the …
Whistleblower Alleges Shocking Fraud Involving Cancer Patients
The diagnosis: Cancer. Few words have the power to alter one’s life as dramatically as those six letters linked with the phrase – “test results.” The Journey begins. The two critical elements for any cancer patient are affordable care and a physician that, above else, you can trust with your life. There is an ethical …
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Protecting the Public with Whistleblower Protections
The Star Tribune published an article today about how a mental health agency, Complementary Support Services, that was supposed to provide quality services to a vulnerable population, instead is reported to have engaged in rampant fraud that “bilked the state’s Medicaid program of millions of dollars and provided inadequate supervision of unlicensed practitioners.” That private …
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Whistleblowers Take a Stand – Can Misleading Statements by For-Profit Schools Create Liability Under the False Claims Act?
In the past several years For-Profit Colleges and Universities have been under intense scrutiny by both state and federal agencies for claims that they mislead prospective students about placement rates, starting salaries, and credit transfer. Students often obtain federally insured student loans and grants to attend these schools. In fact, the Department of Education has …
Legislature Updates Minnesota False Claims Act – Expands Time to File Whistleblower Claim and Persons Covered by the Act
On April 22, 2013, Governor Dayton signed HF 290 into law, which modified Minnesota’s False Claims Act found at Minn. Stat. § 15C. The bill primarily changed the statute so that it would reward and facilitate False Claims Act cases at least as effectively as the federal law. By making these changes Minnesota should be …
Minnesota Strengthens Whistleblower Protections
Greater protections for Minnesota whistleblowers became a reality on May 24, 2013, when Governor Dayton signed HF542, which enhanced Minnesota’s Whistleblower Act, Minn. Stat. §181.932. The Act prohibits employers from retaliating against employees who report violations of statutes or regulations, or refuse to engage in conduct that violates the law. The legislative changes increase whistleblower …
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DECEPTIVE PRACTICES LEADS TO $18.5 MILLION SETTLEMENT
I think we’d all like to think that if we were put into a situation where we knew that something was wrong, that we’d speak up, but that’s not always the case, especially in a workplace environment. Many people would be afraid that if they did speak up, it could cost them their jobs. Recently, …
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FEDERAL JUDGE ORDERS MAYO CLINIC TO REINSTATE WHISTLEBLOWER
Both Minnesota and federal law protect employees who report illegal activities taking place in their workplace. Under these laws, it is generally illegal for an employer to retaliate against whistleblowers by firing or demoting them, among other actions. Recently, a federal judge ordered the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, to reinstate an employee who had reportedly complained about the poor …
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