By Admin | Published October 16, 2014 | Posted in Graft and Corruption | Tagged Tags: False Claims Act lawsuit, fraud, whistleblowers | Leave a comment
D.C. Circuit Court Expands Privilege in Internal Corporate Investigations
There are numerous federal regulations requiring investigations into possible fraud, related to both mandatory disclosure and simply performing some fact gathering while seeking legal advice. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit recently ruled in In re Kellogg Brown & Root that investigations into possible fraud associated with these regulations are privileged. In Read More
Read More13 Fired After Department of Watershed Management Internal Investigation
The Atlanta Department of Watershed Management recently conducted an internal investigation after reports of theft and mismanagement arose from within the organization. Soon afterward, the department fired 13 unnamed employees, although the Atlanta mayor’s spokeswoman declined to comment on whether they were fired as a direct result of the investigation’s findings. The agency has been Read More
Read MoreImportant Considerations for Cohesive Internal Investigations
After potentially illegal or unethical wrongdoing is exposed within an organization, the most important step to take is to launch a comprehensive internal investigation. This can be a major challenge, and there are a number of key considerations to keep in mind as your team engages in this process. To begin a sound internal investigation, Read More
Read MoreProduct Safety Groups Seek Transparency in Whistleblower Suit
A pair of organizations that advocate for safe consumer products have asked for the unsealing of court documents related to a major whistleblower case. The case, recently declared a mistrial, is related to Texas-based Trinity Industries and potentially unsafe guardrails the company produces, which have been used on highways across the United States. The Center Read More
Read MoreFortune: Women More Effective Whistleblowers
A recent article in Fortune magazine explored the issue of whistleblowing and how it appears that women are more likely than men to call out illegal or unethical activities within their organizations. The article features the story of Carmen Segarra, a New York Federal Reserve examiner who recognized a problematic relationship between her agency and Read More
Read MoreDynCorp Targeted with $150 Million Fraud Claim for Northrop Subcontract
Two employees have filed a lawsuit against DynCorp International Inc., a private military contractor that specializes in aviation facilities, training and equipment. According to the complaint, the employees allege that the company illegally overcharged for labor when it subcontracted its services to Northrop Grumman Corp. as part of a U.S. Army contract in Afghanistan. If Read More
Read MoreSecond Circuit: No Dodd-Frank Protections for Whistleblowers Overseas
The U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals made an important ruling in August, deciding that the whistleblower protections in the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act do not cover individuals who work for companies located outside the United States. In the ruling, the court sided with Siemens AG, a well-known German engineering and technology firm, in a case Read More
Read MoreWhat Does Delaware’s Wal-Mart Decision Mean for Attorney-Client Privilege and Internal Investigations?
The Delaware Supreme Court recently came to a decision in Wal-Mart Stores Inc. v. Indiana Electrical Workers Pension Trust Fund IBEW to uphold the order given by the Delaware Court of Chancery to require Wal-Mart to give the plaintiff (a shareholder) documents relating to the company’s internal investigation of allegations made by the plaintiff, including Read More
Read MoreDebate Rages On About Edward Snowden: Whistleblower or Traitor?
The case of Edward Snowden has been highly debated for much of the past year. To give an idea of just how complicated the situation is, there are 21 different federal laws in existence that protect workers that act as whistleblowers. However, a large number of employers and employees do not have a full understanding Read More
Read MoreTwo Whistleblower Cases Show Major Contrast of How Cases Can Result
A couple of recent whistleblower cases that have received national attention show the large divide that still exists in the way that these cases can progress. The first case saw the SEC award a whistleblower $400,000 for delivering information about his company’s wrongdoing that he had originally tried to report internally before being ignored by Read More
Read More
