Whistleblower Attorney in Downtown Brooklyn

Your Voice Matters When Fraud Doesn't

When you witness wrongdoing at work, speaking up shouldn’t cost you everything. Our Downtown Brooklyn whistleblower attorney protects employees who do the right thing.
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False Claims Attorney Brooklyn NY

Turn Your Knowledge Into Protected Action

You’ve seen the fraud. The fake invoices. The corner-cutting that puts people at risk. Maybe it’s healthcare billing that cheats Medicare. Or a contractor overcharging the city. Whatever you’ve witnessed, you don’t have to stay silent.

Under New York’s False Claims Act, whistleblowers can recover 15-30% of what the government recovers. That’s not just compensation—it’s recognition that your courage has real value. We’ve seen cases result in millions recovered, with whistleblowers receiving substantial rewards for stepping forward.

The law protects you from retaliation. Your employer can’t fire you, demote you, or make your life miserable for reporting fraud. And in New York, you have up to 10 years to file your claim—one of the longest windows in the country.

Qui Tam Attorney Downtown Brooklyn

We Know What You're Up Against

We understand the weight of what you’re carrying. We’ve represented whistleblowers across Downtown Brooklyn who’ve faced the same fears you’re facing right now. The fear of losing your job. The worry about being labeled a troublemaker. The concern that no one will believe you.

Brooklyn’s business community is tight-knit, and word travels fast. That’s exactly why you need an attorney who knows how to handle these cases with the discretion they require. We file cases under seal, protecting your identity while the government investigates. Your employer won’t even know a case has been filed until the investigation is complete.

We’ve built relationships with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the New York Attorney General’s office. These relationships matter when your case needs to be taken seriously from day one.

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Whistleblower Law Process Brooklyn

Here's Exactly What Happens Next

First, we listen. Really listen. You’ll tell us what you’ve seen, and we’ll assess whether it falls under federal or state whistleblower protection laws. Not every workplace problem is a whistleblower case, but fraud against government programs usually is.

If you have a case, we file it under seal. This means your employer doesn’t know about it while the government investigates. You’re not walking into work tomorrow with a target on your back. The case stays secret, sometimes for years, while investigators do their work.

The government then decides whether to join your case. If they do, that’s usually good news—it means they believe your allegations and want to pursue them with their resources. If they don’t, you can still proceed on your own, and the potential rewards are actually higher.

Throughout this process, we’re working on contingency. You don’t pay us unless you win. The legal fees come out of any recovery, so you’re never out of pocket for taking a stand.

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Retaliation Attorney Brooklyn NY

What's Actually Covered Under New York Law

New York’s whistleblower laws are among the strongest in the country. They cover fraud against federal, state, and local governments. That includes Medicare and Medicaid fraud, which is rampant in Brooklyn’s healthcare sector. It covers defense contractor fraud, tax evasion, and even fraud against school programs.

What makes New York unique is that it covers tax fraud—something the federal law doesn’t touch. If you know about a business or individual evading more than $350,000 in taxes and they make over $1 million annually, you can file a case. The rewards for tax fraud cases can be even higher—up to 30% of what’s recovered.

Brooklyn has seen significant whistleblower cases in healthcare, construction, and city contracting. The COVID-19 pandemic created new opportunities for fraud—fake PPP loans, counterfeit medical equipment, billing for tests never performed. These cases are actively being pursued, and whistleblowers are being rewarded for coming forward.

The law also protects healthcare workers who report patient safety violations. If you work in one of Brooklyn’s many hospitals or healthcare facilities and you’ve seen care that puts patients at risk, you’re protected when you report it.

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How much can I receive as a whistleblower reward in New York?

Under the New York False Claims Act, whistleblowers typically receive 15-25% of the government’s recovery if the state intervenes in your case. If the government doesn’t join your case but you win on your own, you can receive 25-30% of the recovery.

For tax fraud cases specifically, the rewards can be even higher. We’ve seen individual whistleblowers receive over $1 million in a single case. The first tax fraud case under New York law resulted in a $1.1 million reward for the whistleblower when the company paid $5.5 million to settle.

The key is that these percentages apply to whatever the government actually recovers—not just fines, but also the money that was stolen, plus penalties and interest. In major fraud cases, this can add up to substantial amounts.

New York law specifically prohibits employer retaliation against whistleblowers. This means your employer cannot fire you, demote you, cut your pay, give you bad performance reviews, or create a hostile work environment because you reported fraud.

If retaliation does occur, you have legal recourse. You can sue for reinstatement, back pay, double damages, and attorney fees. The law recognizes that retaliation is real and provides meaningful remedies when it happens.

The protection starts as soon as you begin investigating potential fraud, not just when you file a formal complaint. Even asking questions about suspicious activities at work can be protected conduct. We advise clients on how to document potential retaliation and build a strong case if their employer crosses the line.

New York gives you up to 10 years from when the fraudulent conduct occurred to file a whistleblower case. This is one of the longest statutes of limitations in the country and much longer than the federal False Claims Act’s typical 6-year limit.

However, there’s an important catch: you need to be the first person to file a case based on your specific information. If someone else files a similar case first, you may be barred from proceeding. This is called the “first-to-file” rule, and it’s why timing can be crucial.

We always advise potential whistleblowers not to wait. Evidence can be destroyed, memories fade, and other people might come forward with similar information. The sooner you act, the stronger your position will be.

Yes. Whistleblower cases under the False Claims Act are filed “under seal,” meaning they’re kept secret while the government investigates. Your employer won’t know a case has been filed, and your identity as the whistleblower is protected during this period.

The seal typically lasts at least 60 days but can be extended for months or even years while investigators gather evidence. During this time, you continue working normally while the government builds its case using your information.

Only after the government decides whether to join your case does it become public. Even then, your role as the original whistleblower may not be immediately apparent to your employer, depending on how much evidence the government has gathered independently.

Healthcare fraud dominates Brooklyn whistleblower cases, particularly Medicare and Medicaid billing fraud. With Brooklyn’s large healthcare sector, we see cases involving unnecessary procedures, upcoding, billing for services never provided, and kickback schemes between doctors and medical device companies.

Construction and city contracting fraud is also common. This includes contractors overcharging the city, using substandard materials while billing for premium ones, or inflating labor costs on public projects. Brooklyn’s ongoing development boom has created numerous opportunities for this type of fraud.

Tax fraud cases have become increasingly important since New York’s law covers them. We’ve seen cases involving businesses that underreport income, claim false deductions, or participate in complex tax avoidance schemes. The COVID-19 pandemic also created new fraud opportunities, including fake PPP loan applications and billing for coronavirus testing that was never performed.

No, you don’t need to have complete proof before reaching out. You need to have credible information about potential fraud, but you don’t need to conduct your own investigation or gather every piece of evidence.

What matters is that you have firsthand knowledge of suspicious activities—things you’ve seen, heard, or been asked to do that seem fraudulent. This could be documents you’ve reviewed, conversations you’ve overheard, or patterns you’ve noticed in billing or reporting.

The government has extensive investigative resources and can uncover evidence that you’d never be able to access. Your role is to provide the initial information that starts the investigation. We can help you assess whether what you know is sufficient to support a case and advise you on any additional information that might be helpful to gather safely.