November 21, 2006 — $3.1 Billion Recovered in 2006 The United States Justice Department has announced that in 2006, over $3.1 Billion was recovered under the federal False Claims Act, which parallels the Illinois Whistleblower Reward and Protection Act. This amount represented a 47% increase from 2005, during which $2.1 Billion was recovered, and it brings the monies recovered to a total of more than $13 Billion since congress strengthened the False Claims Act in 1986. Of the $3.1 Billion recovered in 2006, $1.3 Billion was recovered in qui tam lawsuits filed by relators under the False Claims Act. In 2006, persons who filed qui tam actions received over $190 Million in rewards under the federal False Claims Act. In 2000, The State of Illinois adopted the Whistleblower Reward and Protection Act which is virtually identical to the federal Act, and proponents believe that the State could expect to begin recovering millions of dollars each year, with up to 30% of those monies being paid to relators who expose fraud against the State. See U.S. Dept of Justice Press Release 11/21/06 |