Houston Whistleblower Lawyer
Experienced Federal Whistleblower Law Firm in Houston, Texas
Our law firm has extensive experience helping whistleblower clients come forward under federal law. If you have questions about exposing fraud, waste, abuse, or other wrongdoing to the federal government, we encourage you to contact us promptly for a free initial consultation.
Several federal laws protect whistleblowers who choose to come forward through the appropriate channels. If you are interested in serving as a federal whistleblower, our lawyers can assess your eligibility and work with the appropriate government agency on your behalf. We provide whistleblower representation at no out-of-pocket cost, and we handle whistleblower claims on behalf of private-sector employees, federal employees, and other individuals in Houston and nationwide.
Whistleblowers are entitled to strict confidentiality under federal law. Federal whistleblower laws also prohibit employers from retaliating against employees who decide to expose illegal conduct. Certain federal whistleblower laws include provisions for whistleblower awards as well; and, when our clients are eligible to receive rewards, we work with the government on their behalf to help maximize their reward eligibility.
Whistleblower Cases We Handle on Behalf of Houston Employees and Other Individuals
The Houston whistleblower lawyers on our team handle all types of whistleblower cases under federal law. This includes (but is not limited to):
False Claims Act
The False Claims Act prohibits all forms of fraud under federal contracts, grants, and programs. If you have information about a company or any other organization improperly billing the federal government, you may be eligible to pursue a qui tam case under the False Claims Act—and you may be eligible to receive a sizable award if your case is successful.
Eligible whistleblowers can file a qui tam complaint to report everything from collusion and other forms of procurement fraud to double-billing under defense contracts and other types of “false and fraudulent claims.” If you hire our law firm to file a qui tam complaint on your behalf, as soon as we are engaged, we will promptly get to work taking all of the necessary steps to establish your eligibility for protection and compensation. Our Houston attorneys have extensive experience assisting with qui tam lawsuits under the False Claims Act, and we can use our experience to guide you forward.
Healthcare Fraud
Employees and other individuals can blow the whistle on healthcare fraud—and this will involve coming forward under the False Claims Act in many cases. We help whistleblowers expose all forms of Medicare, Medicaid, and Tricare fraud, as well as violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute, Stark Law, Controlled Substances Act, and other pertinent federal statutes. Healthcare fraud is a major issue, and Medicare and Medicaid fraud alone cost taxpayers billions of dollars every year.
Once you report healthcare fraud under the False Claims Act, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) will launch an investigation into the allegations you have put forward. If your complaint leads to a successful enforcement action, you could become entitled to receive between 15% to 30% of the funds the government recovers.
Securities Fraud
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) accepts whistleblower complaints involving violations of all federal securities laws and regulations. Under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act), securities whistleblowers are entitled to protection against retaliation at their job, and successful whistleblowers can receive anywhere from 10% to 30% of the monetary sanctions imposed. Dodd-Frank Act violations can take many different forms, and they are common among financial institutions, corporations, and other entities. Monetary rewards are available under the Dodd-Frank Act in cases involving violations of other federal securities laws and regulations as well.
Our whistleblower lawyers handle securities fraud matters across the nation. Whether your employer in Houston has violated the law or you have information about fraud on Wall Street, we strongly encourage you to speak with one of our senior attorneys about coming forward to the SEC.
Tax Fraud
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) accepts whistleblower complaints involving tax fraud, tax evasion, and other federal tax law violations. The IRS routinely conducts investigations based on whistleblower complaints; and, under the IRS’s whistleblower program, eligible individuals can receive between 15% and 30% of the funds recovered in successful cases.
We help whistleblowers report tax fraud and other offenses committed by corporate entities, non-profit organizations, and other taxpayers. If you have (or believe you may have) information about significant tax fraud, our lawyers can help you make an informed decision about coming forward.
Other Violations of Federal Law
Along with the cases discussed above, we help whistleblowers report numerous other violations of federal law as well. Some examples of additional types of cases we handle include:
- Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA) and Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) violations
- Bribery and corruption
- Commodities fraud
- Consumer protection violations
- Gross waste and abuse within the federal government
- OFAC sanctions violations
- Threats to national security
If you are a federal employee, our attorneys can help you come forward under the Whistleblower Protection Act (WPA) if warranted. The Whistleblower Protection Act was enacted in 1989, and it specifically applies to federal employees. The WPA provides protection against retaliation, and federal employees who experience unlawful retaliation can seek damages and/or other remedies through a complaint filed with the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) or other appropriate means.
FAQs: Working with a Whistleblower Attorney to Expose Fraud or Other Wrongdoing to the Federal Government
What is involved in filing a qui tam lawsuit under the False Claims Act?
Filing a qui tam lawsuit is a complex process that starts with assessing your eligibility to serve as a whistleblower (or “relator”) under the False Claims Act. Among other requirements, a qui tam case must generally be filed within six years of the fraud at issue. The process begins with filing a complaint in federal district court, and qui tam lawsuits are filed under seal initially.
Once you file your complaint, the DOJ will open an investigation. After this investigation, federal prosecutors will decide whether to intervene. If prosecutors intervene, they will take over your case, and you will be entitled to an award of 15% to 25% of the funds recovered if your case is successful. If prosecutors decline to intervene, our attorneys can continue to pursue your case in federal court, and you will be entitled to an award of 25% to 30% of the funds recovered if you secure a verdict on the government’s behalf.
Does the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) include whistleblower reward provisions?
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) protects whistleblowers who report corporate fraud to the SEC. While SOX does not include provisions for monetary rewards, SOX whistleblowers may be eligible to claim rewards under the Dodd-Frank Act. If you have questions about reporting a SOX violation to the SEC, our lawyers can explain your options, and we can assist with strategic reporting to maximize your eligibility for both protection and financial compensation.
How do attorneys’ fees work in federal whistleblower cases?
Our whistleblower attorneys handle all cases on a contingency-fee basis. This means that our whistleblower clients do not pay a retainer or monthly legal bills—nor do they pay anything else out of pocket. Instead, our legal fees are deducted from their whistleblower reward if they receive one.
With that said, in some cases we are able to seek to recover our attorneys’ fees separately from our clients’ awards. If the party you expose is responsible for paying your attorney’s fees, you may not have to pay anything for your legal representation, even if your case is successful. We will discuss our fee arrangement with you in detail during your free initial consultation.
Should I file a complaint internally with my employer before contacting the government?
If the information you have in your possession is sufficient to warrant a federal whistleblower complaint, you will most likely want to file a complaint with the government instead of filing a complaint internally with your employer. With that said, every situation is unique, and it is important to make informed and strategic decisions based on your individual circumstances. Once we learn about the information you have in your possession, we will be able to help you choose how best to proceed.
What happens if my whistleblower complaint is not successful?
Even if your whistleblower complaint is not successful, you are still entitled to confidentiality and protection against retaliation (provided that you met the requirements for serving as a federal whistleblower). Before you commit to moving forward, our attorneys can assess the likelihood that your complaint will be successful, and you can factor this into your decision-making.
Schedule a Free Consultation with an Experienced Houston Whistleblower Attorney
If you would like to speak with an experienced Houston whistleblower lawyer about coming forward to the federal government, we invite you to contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation. To speak with one of our senior lawyers in strict confidence as soon as possible, call us at 866-320-3959 or tell us how we can reach you online today.