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Whistleblower Blog

Amendments to New IRS Whistleblower Law Considered

We have had many calls this week from potential clients in our IRS Whistleblower practice, probably because msn.com featured an article about the IRS Whistleblower program on Monday that linked to our whistleblower lawyer blog.

As I have explained to many whistleblower clients, the new regulations for the IRS Whistleblower Rewards Program are in the works, but have not been issued. We have been pursuing IRS Whistleblower claims under the new program and have found the IRS agents to be excited about it.

Adding to the mix for those seeking a whistleblower attorney is that Congress is considering amendments to the law that established the new IRS Whistleblower Program in December 2006. Among the possible changes/additions are a provision opening up the Whistleblower Program to more claims by setting a different threshold for the amount of money in question, which could allow more whistleblowers to qualify for a reward.

Another provision would appropriate funds for the IRS Whistleblower Office, some of which might help defray expenses incurred by the whistleblower’s legal representative. Yet another provision addresses the confidentialty of whistleblowers in Tax Court proceedings.

These proposed changes are part of HB 2, the “minimum wage” bill, which passed the Senate in February.

We will continue to keep up with any developments affecting the IRS Whistleblower Program, which we believe promises to be a great success. If you have any questions about the IRS Whistleblower program, feel free to email me here.

The current section of the proposed HB 2 that applies to the IRS Whistleblower Program is below:
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Guilty Plea in Pharmaceutical Fraud Case

A subsidiary of the drug manufacturer Pfizer has agreed to plead guilty in a kickback scheme and to pay a criminal fine of $19.68 million, according to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts, Michael J. Sullivan (not to be confused with Michael A. Sullivan, one of the authors of this whistleblower lawyer blog).

The government’s announcement was that Pharmacia & Upjohn Company, Inc., a subsidiary of Pfizer, Inc., was charged with offering a kickback in connection with the administration and distribution
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New York Becomes Latest State to Agree to Enact a State False Claims Act

The New York legislature has become the latest state to agree to the enactment of a State False Claims Act, when it approved passage of such a whistleblower law as part of approving the state budget. The Buffalo Times reported on this encouraging development.

We have written before about why states are passing their own whistleblower laws to protect taxpayer money. Congress has created significant financial incentives for states that pass their own state false claims acts, with whistleblower provisions that are at
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New Medicaid Whistleblower Law Passes House in Georgia

We have been writing about why states are passing their own whistleblower laws, with qui tam provisions that are at least as effective as the federal False Claims Act. Georgia’s legislature took a giant step forward when its House of Representatives today passed the State False Medicaid Claims Act–by an overwhelming margin of 164-2!

As we have mentioned before on this whistleblower lawyer blog, when the House Judiciary Committee met to discuss and approve the new whistleblower statute, two witnesses were invited
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Whistleblower Laws of Two More States–Hawaii and Virginia–Are Approved by Feds

States are figuring out how to pass whistleblower laws with effective “qui tam” provisions, so that they qualify to receive more money from Medicaid fraud settlements. The Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services has announced that, unlike 7 of the 10 state whistleblower laws that OIG had previously reviewed, the whistleblower laws of Hawaii and Virginia pass muster under the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005.

We have previously discussed why states are passing or improving their own
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Whistleblower Law Sponsor Testifies About Iraq Contractor Fraud

Whistleblowers and whistleblower attorneys may consider Senator Charles Grassley of Iowa as the “patron saint” of protecting taxpayer money from fraud against the government. Sen. Grassley continues his great work as he testifies today before the Senate Judiciary Committee about Iraq contractor profiteering and fraud.

The Senator already claimed another recent victory by spearheading passage of the new IRS Whistleblower Rewards Program. Sen. Grassley saw how cost-effective the False Claims Act has been in recovering more than $20 billion for the government–largely because of the
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New State Qui Tam Whistleblower Law Is Approved by House Judiciary Committee in Georgia

This afternoon I had the privilege of joining the Inspector General of Georgia’s Department of Community Health, Doug Colburn, in serving as the two invited witnesses who were asked to explain how the new “State False Medicaid Claims Act” would work, in testimony before the full Judiciary Committee of the Georgia House of Representatives.

The new whistleblower law was approved unanimously by the Judiciary Committee, and is gaining steam toward passage.

Chairman Wendell Willard expressed his strong support for encouraging whistleblowers to report wrongdoing. The
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IRS Whistleblower Rewards Featured in Smart Money Magazine

The new IRS Whistleblower Rewards Program that we have been discussing is featured in the March 13 issue of Smart Money Magazine–and Smart Money cites our Whistleblower blog and quotes one of our authors.

The Smart Money reporter, Lisa Scherzer, contacted our firm, Finch McCranie, LLP, to discuss the IRS Whistleblower Rewards program and our experiences in representing clients in the IRS Whistleblower program. We commented that most potential whistleblowers who have contacted us are ethical, conscientious persons who are troubled
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New “Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act” Passes U.S. House

We were excited to see that the U.S. House of Representatives today passed an important new whistleblower protection law, the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act.

We have discussed this new whistleblower bill previously, as an encouraging development for whistleblowers and whistleblower lawyers. The new whistleblower law would protect federal employees and, now, also federal contractors, who report evidence of fraud, waste, abuse, gross mismanagement, or “substantial and specific danger to public health or safety.”

Rep. Henry Waxman sponsored the new whistleblower protection bill, but Rep. Bruce Braley of Iowa also spoke eloquently today about why American taxpayers–and the American public’s security–demand that honest citizens must be able to bring to light evidence of fraud, waste, and abuse that affects government dollars (which are taxpayer dollars).

Home with a bug today, I was able to watch the debate on C-Span. The bill passed the House by a vote of 331-94, with 8 members not voting. Let’s hope the Senate also acts responsibly by approving the bill.

Rep. Braley was inspiring in his remarks about the courage and contributions of important whistleblowers such as former FBI Agent Colleen M. Rowley, whose comments in speaking out after 9/11 are worth remembering and repeating below:

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New State False Medicaid Claims Act (with Qui Tam Whistleblower Provisions) Is Approved by Georgia Legislative Subcommittee

Whistleblowerlawyerblog Author Testifies In Support of Georgia Department of Community Health’s “State False Medicaid Claims Act”

This morning, a new state False Claims Act cleared a hurdle as it was approved by a Georgia legislative subcommittee.

Georgia’s new “State False Medicaid Claims Act,” which has qui tam whistleblower provisions similar to the federal False Claims Act, received unanimous support among members of the subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee chaired by Rep. Edward Lindsey of Atlanta.

Testifying in support of the new
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Whistleblower Lawyer Update: Medical Equipment Fraud, Fraudulent Billing by Doctor, and Home Health Care Fraud Highlight Week of Indictments in Health Care Compliance Cases

This past week produced examples of why whistleblowers and their attorneys must continue to insist that false claims and health care fraud not be tolerated. The indictments of Texas medical equipment suppliers–who are alleged to have overbilled Medicare and Medicaid for expensive scooters and chairs while providing cheaper ones –show how prevalent false claims are.

The indictment of a physician in West Virginia for allegedly falsifying the time spent in patient visits shows another common type of health care fraud and false claims.
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Should a Tax Whistleblower in the New IRS Whistleblower Program Use an IRS Form 3949?

Question about the new IRS Whistleblower Rewards Program: if you go to the Internal Revenue Service’s website, the IRS notifies persons that, if they have evidence of suspected tax violations, they should use a Form 3949 and send it to an Internal Revenue Service Office in Fresno, California. While this blog is not legal advice, we have not seen a basis for individuals seeking a reward under the new IRS Whistleblower Program for blowing the whistle to utilize this form. The reason is because
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Justice Department Attorneys Announce $30.5 Million Settlement in Qui Tam Whistleblower Case of Medicaid Fraud

Another False Claims Act Recovery by Government Lawyers Is Part of $42.65 Million Heath Care Fraud Settlement

A qui tam whistleblower case alleging Medicaid fraud by Maximus, Inc. of Reston, Virginia led to a $30.5 million settlement under the False Claims Act this week.

According to the Justice Department, the whistleblower case settlement accompanied a deferred prosecution agreement and corporate integrity agreement by Maximus to end the government’s investigation of Maximus’ contract with the District of Columbia’s Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA).
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The Profile of the New Tax Whistleblower

When the Tax Relief and Healthcare Act of 2006 was signed into law on December 20, 2006, Congress hoped to encourage businessmen and women to come forward with information concerning tax cheats. The new IRS Whistleblower Program (found at 26 U.S.C. § 7623) purposely focuses on large claims. To qualify for whistleblower rewards, a minimum of $2 million in taxes, penalties and interest must be involved. Given this amount of money, the primary targets of the new legislation are businesses whose employees and/or former employees
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IRS to Scrutinize Derivatives–Do They Allow Offshore Investors to Avoid Withholding Taxes on U.S. Stock Dividends?

IRS Seeks Documents from Citigroup and Lehman Brothers Holdings on Derivatives

Now that Congress has created a meaningful IRS Whistleblower Rewards Program, tax whistleblower attorneys took note of yesterday’s report that the IRS is looking into whether derivatives trades for hedge funds and other investors are being used to avoid tax withholding obligations, according to the Wall Street Journal yesterday. The IRS reportedly has issued “Information Document Requests” to Citigroup and Lehman Brothers Holdings to find out.

As Reuters reports, the derivatives trades in
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Pharmaceutical Company Bristol Settles Massachusetts Lawsuit Over Pricing of Drugs

Alleged Overcharging for Prescription Drugs Leads to $13 Million Settlement in Boston

Pharmaceutical fraud harms the Medicare and Medicaid programs–and the citizens who pay for them. Drug companies’ alleged overcharging for prescription drugs has led to fraud investigations and lawsuits by whistleblower attorneys in the past. This week, shortly before trial, pharmaceutical manufacturer Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. reportedly agreed to pay $13 million to resolve allegations that it overcharged for its Taxol cancer medicine and other drugs.

The settlement follows a ruling last month
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In Case Alleging Fraud Against IRS in Misuse of Tax Shelters by Former KPMG Partners, Judge Dismisses Charges Against 13 Defendants

Most Defendants in KPMG Case Escape Prosecution–At Least For Now

As we have written about previously, abusive and fraudulent tax shelters promoted by accounting firms are high on the list of conduct that the IRS (and IRS tax whistleblowers) seek to stop. Today, the government’s prosecution of 13 former KPMG partners and other executives was derailed–at least for now–when the trial judge dismissed charges against them, while allowing the charges to remain against other defendants.

Judge Lewis Kaplan had already ruled that these defendants’
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IRS Declares That Tax Fraud and Evasion from Back-Dating of Stock Options Is a Top Priority

IRS Tax Whistleblowers with Knowledge of Stock Option Backdating Should Take Note

Now that the IRS has an effective IRS Whistleblower Rewards Program for whistleblowers who report tax fraud, tax evasion, or other violations of the Internal Revenue laws, the IRS’ recent announcement of focusing on back-dating of stock options should be interesting. In continuing our past discussions of claims under the IRS Whistleblower Rewards Program, we point out the tax fraud that the IRS has decided to target involving back-dated stock options.

The IRS recently announced that backdating of stock options is a “Tier I Compliance Issue and therefore is a mandatory examination item for taxpayers with backdated stock option grant and/or exercise prices.”

This unlawful practice can produce adverse tax consequences for the corporation issuing the option. As the IRS announcement explains, corporations are subject to a $1 million annual limit on the deduction for compensation to the CEO and four other highest compensated officers in a publicly traded corporation.

Under Treasury Regulations section 1.162-27(e)(2)(vi), there is a “qualified performance based compensation” exception to the $1 million deduction limit for compensation attributable to option exercises if the option exercise price equals or exceeds the per share value on the grant date and certain other requirements are met. A failure to satisfy this requirement may cause compensation attributable to the option exercise to be subject to the $1 million deduction limit.
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False Claims Act Case Against Texas Computer Services Firm Is Settled

Fraud and False Claims by Government Contractor in Dallas Leads to $2.6 Million Settlement with Justice Department

The statute most used by whistleblowers and whistleblower attorneys has resulted in yet another recovery of money for false claims. The Justice Department has announced that Affiliated Computer Services, Inc. (ACS) has agreed to pay more than $2.6 million to settle a False Claims Act case.

The government alleged that ACS, from 2002-2005, inflated its claims for payment of government funds for recruiting and enrolling individuals in various
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New State False Claims Act with Qui Tam Whistleblower Provisions Is Signed in Florida

AARP Applauds State Law to Combat Medicaid Fraud with Qui Tam Whistleblower Approach

We were pleased to see that Florida has joined New York, Georgia, Oklahoma and more than a dozen other states in creating a State False Claims Act with qui tam whistleblower provisions similar to the federal False Claims Act. As we have discussed at length on this whistleblower lawyer blog, Congress has created financial incentives for states to pass whistleblower laws with qui tam
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