featured news

False Claims Act Defendant Loses Bid to Overrule Oral Settlement Agreement

As we have explored in the past, many False Claims Act lawsuits end in a negotiated settlement between the relator/whistleblower, federal government, and defendants alleged to have committed fraudulent acts of misconduct against U.S. taxpayers. The terms of the settlement – which almost always include a clause disclaiming any liability […]

Drone Manufacturer Composite Engineering, Inc. Settles False Claims Act Allegations

The False Claims Act is one of the most successful federal statutes when it comes to recouping money lost due to wasteful fraud committed against the government and, as a result, the taxpayers. When it was enacted, soldiers and other participants in the U.S. Civil War were experiencing widespread fraud […]

Securities Ratings Firm Standard & Poor’s Settles Fraud Charges for $58 Million

In a victory for the Securities and Exchange Commission, the securities ratings firm Standard & Poor’s has agreed to settle claims it fraudulently certified certain mortgage-backed securities as good investments, as well as claims the firm used a certain methodology to calculate risk with regard to commercial mortgage-based securities when, […]

Court’s Analysis Spells Victory for Bibby Relators Following Contested False Claims Act Reward

Over the last few posts, we have engaged in an in-depth look at a relatively rare issue involving confidentiality during the investigative stage of a False Claims Act whistleblower case. The case, known as United States ex rel. Bibby v. Wells Fargo, N.A., has garnered some national attention as the […]

Exploring the Bibby Case: Where Did the Relators Go Wrong?

As we discussed in yesterday’s post, the Eleventh Circuit recently handed down a ruling in a case of first impression: What sort of punishment should a relator face for breaching confidentiality rules during the investigative stage of a whistleblower action? We reviewed the rules of filing under seal and why […]