If I report Government contract fraud, am I entitled to a reward or bounty?
The Federal, New York State and New York City False Claims Acts provide for a bounty of up to 30 percent of the Government’s recovery.
The Federal, New York State and New York City False Claims Acts provide for a bounty of up to 30 percent of the Government’s recovery.
Yes. Under the federal False Claims Act, an individual may only recover a bounty if he or she initiates a lawsuit. A person who initiates such a lawsuit is called a “Relator.” The same is true with regard to the New York State and New York City False Claims Acts.
Yes. Congress passed a specific law that allows private citizens to report to the IRS information that would enable the IRS to make a claim for taxes. This law can be found at 26 USC § 7623. See also IRS Publication 733, Rewards for Information Provided by Individuals to the Internal Revenue Service.
A person who initiates a False Claims Act lawsuit is a Relator. He or she is called a Relator because he or she is bringing the suit on behalf of the government and relating to the government and the court the knowledge of wrongdoing that he or she possesses.
No. A Relator cannot, for example, bring a False Claims lawsuit that is based upon public information. Public information includes information from the news media, government audits, or public court proceedings. If the information upon which the suit is based is a matter of public record as defined by law, the Relator must be an “original source.”