Editorial

In A RETURN TO COMMON SENSE, The Justice Department’s Latest Attempts to Deter Corporate Criminals, Michael Volkov explores the Department of Justice’s post-Yates memorandum goals and expectations in dealing with corporate misconduct.

After his influential previous books, “Question Everything: Effective Due Diligence and Third-Party Risk Management” and “The Art of the Internal Investigation,” Volkov delivers a concise and clear book that will make essential reading for corporate lawyers, lawmakers, and prosecuting officials alike....

• READ Competitors Cheating? False Claims Act Whistleblowers Throw 'em under the Bus - Part I

Criminals get creative in seeking out new and improved methods to rip off the government and steal our taxpayer dollars for their own benefit, and when a business competitor engages in fraud, waste or abuse, America’s industrious, law-abiding companies suffer. Authorities don’t always have the necessary resources to put a stop to illegal acts by companies.

That’s where the federal False Claims Act (FCA) comes in. The government is willing to pay individuals with original knowledge of fraud against government funded programs to come forward. These cash whistleblower awards often fall in the millions of dollars, helping to offset the damage caused by competing companies who chose to violate the law to gain the upper hand in the industry.

Whistleblower Salina Savage Stands Up to Allegedly Scheming Competitors

Salina Savage recently filed a whistleblower claim against two competitors for allegedly creating fake businesses to get small disadvantaged business funding, taking advantage of the HUBZone program that gives preference to businesses that employ people living on Native American reservations....

• Read Part 2 of Whistleblowers Throw Cheating Competitors Under the Bus with False Claims Act

Tired of competing for government funding with dishonest companies? Unfortunately, we can’t force fraudsters to take a truth serum when applying for government funding or using taxpayer dollars, and all too often companies are looking for loopholes and devious ways to get around the law for a profit.

For those legitimate businesses that work hard to follow regulations and laws – all the while incurring substantial compliance costs - getting undercut by cheaters who ignore or flat out defy the rules is crushing. When your competitors are breaking the law, competition can be straight up impossible.

Schuylkill DBE Fraud: Taking Advantage of the Disadvantaged

Consider Schuylkill Products Inc., a Pennsylvania-based manufacturer of concrete bridge beams. These guys were offered more than $136 million in government contracts, with one stipulation - that they subcontract a certain amount of work to a “disadvantaged business enterprise” (DBE). Sounds great right? This important federal program is in place to support our nation’s small businesses....

The general opinion circulating about what makes up the average whistleblower seems to pool around the negative: i.e. disgruntled employees out to get revenge, traitors, money hungry individuals with no concern for the company’s well-being. Don’t whistleblowers fall into that group of people who are always fishing for the big payout? Those who will sue anyone and everyone in the hopes of striking it rich?
There are certainly individuals out there who meet these criteria, but...