Filing Under Seal and United States ex rel. Bibby v. Wells Fargo
Over the next three posts, we will explore a recent case handled by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit – a jurisdiction covering Alabama, Florida, and Georgia – involving sanctions against a courageous whistleblower with an apparent misunderstanding of the rules of confidential seals. In today’s post, […]
Bank of America Faces False Claims Act Lawsuit Involving Federal Refinance Program
Following the 2008 housing crisis, the federal government went to great lengths to ensure struggling homeowners were afforded every possible opportunity to keep their homes. One such effort, known as the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP), was enacted in 2009 to help borrowers who were “upside down” or “underwater” on […]
Countrywide Whistleblower Receives Mega-Reward of $57 Million
Under the False Claims Act’s qui tam provisions, individual private plaintiffs – who are often in a better position to report and relay the details of fraud against the government – can receive rewards of up to 30 percent of the total settlement or verdict obtained on behalf of U.S. […]
Virginia Attorney General Initiates Record-Shattering False Claims Act Lawsuit
Earlier this month, Virginia Attorney General Mark R. Herring announced a record $1.15 billion lawsuit against several major banking institutions. The lawsuit stems from the rampant misconduct that eventually gave rise to the 2008 housing bubble, and includes the following defendants: Barclay’s Capital, Inc. Citigroup Global Markets Inc. Countrywide Securities […]
California District Court Reviews Public Disclosure Bar in Light of False Claims Allegations by Realtor
The federal False Claims Act contains several provisions that essentially work to bar plaintiffs with certain types of actions from filing a whistleblower claim. One of these bars is known as the “public disclosure bar,” and it prevents a whistleblower from filing a claim involving allegations of fraud against the […]
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