The government recovered a record-breaking $5 billion in FY 2012 under the False Claims Acts, a top Justice Department official announced today.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart Delery noted that the False Claims Act “not only protects the Treasury, but also reflects a deep commitment to protecting the health and safety of all Americans and bringing about meaningful change to eliminate cheating from business practices.”
Most of the recoveries were due to whistleblowers, who brought qui tam lawsuits under the False Claims Act.
Two cases that Delery highlighted (Glaxo and ATK) are whistleblower cases brought by Phillips & Cohen LLP.
“The False Claims Act is, quite simply, the most powerful tool that we have to deter and redress fraud,” said Acting Associate Attorney General Tony West.