NY Whistleblower Law Firm Glossary

Whistleblower Glossary: keyword to know when considering a qui tam action.

If you have information about a fraud and want to explore your options further, call the attorneys at Joseph P. Villanueva, Attorneys At Law. Our firm has more than 20 years of legal experience. Call now to set up your confidential consultation at 800-893-9645.

Whistleblower: a person who informs the government of a significant fraud perpetrated by a company, corporation, or individual that is using the fraud to gain a monetary benefit from the government.

Qui Tam: a qui tam action is a lawsuit brought by a private individual on behalf of the government. This Latin phrase translates into “who as well for the king as for himself sues in this matter.”

Relator: a person who files a whistleblower action under the False Claims Act is sometimes referred to as Relator.

The False Claims Act(sometimes referred to as the Lincoln Law): Congress enacted the False Claims Act in its first incarnation during the Civil War. Its intent was to empower civilian citizens to come forward and report fraudulent activity against the government. In exchange of a successful action, the individual would receive a portion of money recovered by the government. The False Claims Act was amended in 1943 and in 1986. There have been numerous cases interpreting its application and ability to compensate a relator as well as punish the defendants.

Mischarging: the act whereby the defendant files a false claim by which a product and/or service is not actually delivered to the government.

Product and Service Substitution: the act whereby the defendant certifies a particular product but it does not actually meet the appropriate specifications. In essence, the defendant substitutes the product approved by the government with a lesser product.

Defective Pricing: the act of submitting a fake or false price and cost data to the government which results in a fraudulently inflated price.

False Certification of Entitlement of Benefits: this is often seen in defense contracting cases wherein a product that is delivered to the government is falsely certified as genuine. This can also be seen in the various mortgage guarantees cases and similar schemes.

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If you have information about a fraud and want to explore your options further, call the attorneys at Joseph P. Villanueva, Attorneys At Law. Our firm has more than 20 years of legal experience. Call now to set up your confidential consultation at 800-893-9645.