Billing fraud

The advertising company was accused of over-billing the U.S. government approximately $15.5 million in the “Army of One” recruiting campaign. Two of the company’s former executive officers brought the lawsuit alleging that the company submitted several false bills to the government. Although the company did not admit liability, it settled the matter and the two whistleblowers that brought the action will collect about $2.79 million.

Qui Tam lawsuits rising

The number of whistleblower, or Qui Tam, lawsuits are rising and experts say that once the Obama administration takes over, more fraudulent activity against the government is likely to be exposed. In fact, legal experts say that the following areas are likely to be hotbeds of litigation:

• Military. Over-billing or not supplying the goods or services paid for continues to be a problem with military contractors in connection with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. This area will likely be a hotbed of litigation once the war(s) end and the government attempts to account for all of the monies spent.
• Medical. There have been numerous lawsuits filed against companies who defraud Medicare by up-coding, which basically means that the defrauder says that a patient needs to have a certain treatment (which they do not) or that the defrauder will simply over-bill Medicare.
• Education. The federal government provides a great deal of funding to colleges and universities who must spend those monies for particular programs. However, some of these secondary educational institutions are not doing so – which equates to fraud.

If you believe that you might have a Qui Tam lawsuit, contact an experienced Qui Tam attorney to discuss your situation and evaluate your options. Contacting an attorney first is always recommended in Qui Tam cases as there are specific guidelines to follow and tactical issues to address before filing a lawsuit. Consultations with a Qui Tam lawyer are free, without obligation and are strictly confidential.