Hear from Our Customers
You’ve seen something that shouldn’t be happening. Maybe it’s Medicare fraud at your healthcare facility. Securities violations at your financial firm. Government contract fraud at your company. Whatever it is, you know it’s wrong—and you know someone needs to speak up.
Here’s what most people don’t realize: the government pays substantial rewards to whistleblowers who report fraud. We’re talking 15-30% of whatever the government recovers. In major cases, that can mean millions of dollars. Plus, federal and state laws protect you from retaliation.
The catch? You have to do everything exactly right. Miss a deadline, file with the wrong agency, or skip a procedural step, and you could lose everything—your case, your protection, and your reward.
We bring big-firm experience to individual whistleblower cases. Principal attorney John Howley spent 20 years representing major corporations like Pfizer, Texaco, and Citibank before founding our firm to level the playing field for individuals.
John has handled some of the largest employment cases in U.S. history, including an $80 million discrimination settlement. He’s argued before the U.S. Supreme Court and earned prestigious awards including the Thurgood Marshall Award from the New York City Bar Association.
In West Village’s professional community—where finance, healthcare, and corporate executives work alongside government contractors—insider knowledge of fraud is unfortunately common. Our clients understand they need sophisticated legal representation to navigate complex federal and state whistleblower programs while protecting their careers.
First, we evaluate your case during a completely confidential consultation. We’ll determine which whistleblower programs apply, assess the strength of your evidence, and map out the best strategy for maximum protection and rewards.
Next, we handle all the complex filing requirements. Each government program—SEC, CFTC, IRS, False Claims Act—has different procedures and deadlines. We ensure your case gets filed correctly with the right agencies at the right time.
Then we protect you throughout the process. We shield your identity where possible, document any retaliation, and prepare to fight back if your employer takes adverse action against you. Most cases are handled under seal, meaning your employer won’t even know about the investigation initially.
Finally, we maximize your reward. Whether the government intervenes in your case or you proceed on your own, we fight for the highest possible percentage of any recovery. Our contingency fee structure means you pay nothing unless you win.
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Our West Village whistleblower practice covers all major fraud reporting programs. Under the False Claims Act, we handle Medicare and Medicaid fraud, government contract fraud, and defense contractor cases. The New York False Claims Act is particularly powerful—it’s one of the few state laws that allows whistleblower cases against tax fraud when the violator’s income exceeds $1 million.
For securities fraud, we represent clients under the SEC and CFTC whistleblower programs. These cases often involve insider trading, accounting fraud, Ponzi schemes, and market manipulation—issues that frequently surface in West Village’s financial community.
We also handle retaliation claims when employers illegally punish whistleblowers. New York recently expanded its whistleblower protections, and we pursue compensation for wrongful termination, demotion, harassment, and other adverse employment actions. Available remedies include reinstatement, back pay, compensatory damages, and in some cases, punitive damages.
Whistleblower rewards vary significantly depending on the type of case and the amount recovered. Under federal programs like the SEC and CFTC, you can receive 10-30% of monetary sanctions when they exceed $1 million. False Claims Act cases typically award 15-30% of the government’s recovery.
For example, if the government recovers $10 million in a Medicare fraud case, your reward could range from $1.5 million to $3 million. The New York False Claims Act allows penalties of $6,000-$12,000 per violation plus up to three times the actual damages. In major cases, total recoveries can reach hundreds of millions of dollars, making whistleblower rewards substantial.
The exact percentage depends on factors like the quality of your information, how much you contributed to the case, and whether the government intervenes. We work to maximize your reward percentage by presenting your case in the strongest possible light.
Federal and New York state laws provide comprehensive protection against whistleblower retaliation. Under the False Claims Act, Sarbanes-Oxley Act, Dodd-Frank Act, and New York Labor Law Section 740, employers cannot fire, demote, harass, or otherwise retaliate against you for reporting fraud.
If retaliation occurs, you can sue for reinstatement, back pay, compensatory damages, and attorney fees. New York recently expanded its whistleblower law, extending the statute of limitations from one to two years and broadening the definition of protected activity. Some federal laws also allow punitive damages.
Importantly, you’re protected even if the fraud investigation doesn’t result in penalties, as long as you had a reasonable belief that violations occurred. We document any retaliatory behavior and are prepared to file immediate legal action to protect your rights and seek compensation.
Whistleblower cases can take anywhere from 18 months to several years, depending on the complexity of the fraud and which agencies are involved. Government investigations are thorough and often uncover additional evidence beyond what you initially provide.
After you file, the case typically proceeds under seal while the government investigates. This confidential period protects your identity and prevents the target from destroying evidence. The government then decides whether to intervene and take over the case or allow you to proceed independently.
SEC and CFTC cases often resolve faster than False Claims Act cases. Healthcare fraud cases involving Medicare and Medicaid can be particularly complex due to the detailed billing records involved. Throughout the process, we keep you informed of developments and protect your interests. While the timeline can seem long, remember that thorough investigations often lead to larger recoveries and higher rewards.
You don’t need to have all the evidence before contacting us, but having some supporting information strengthens your case. The government can often uncover additional evidence through its own investigation, but you need enough initial proof to make your case credible.
Useful evidence includes emails, billing records, internal reports, compliance violations, or witness testimony. However, be careful about how you collect evidence—taking confidential documents inappropriately could create legal problems. We’ll advise you on what evidence to gather and how to do it safely.
Even if you only have suspicions or partial information, it’s worth discussing your situation. Sometimes what seems like incomplete evidence actually provides crucial insights that investigators can follow up on. The key is acting quickly before evidence disappears or someone else reports the same fraud. We offer confidential consultations to evaluate your case and determine the best path forward.
Given West Village’s concentration of financial services, healthcare, and corporate professionals, we frequently handle securities fraud, healthcare fraud, and government contract fraud cases. Securities cases often involve insider trading, accounting manipulation, or investment advisor fraud from the area’s numerous financial firms.
Healthcare fraud cases include Medicare and Medicaid billing fraud, unnecessary procedures, and kickback schemes. We also see cases involving pharmaceutical companies, medical device manufacturers, and healthcare providers who submit false claims to government programs.
Government contract fraud involves companies that overcharge federal, state, or city agencies, provide substandard goods or services, or violate prevailing wage laws. The New York False Claims Act is particularly powerful for cases involving state and local government fraud, including tax fraud when the violator’s annual income exceeds $1 million. We handle all these case types and more, always working on a contingency fee basis so you pay nothing unless you win.
A strong whistleblower case typically involves significant financial harm to the government, clear evidence of intentional wrongdoing, and information that isn’t already public. The fraud should involve substantial amounts—generally at least hundreds of thousands of dollars—to justify the government’s investigation resources.
You need credible evidence that violations actually occurred, though you don’t need to prove every detail. Internal documents, witness testimony, billing records, or compliance violations all help establish your case. The fraud should be ongoing or recent, as older cases may face statute of limitations issues.
Most importantly, your information should be “original”—meaning it comes from your direct knowledge or analysis, not from public sources like news reports. Even if you were involved in the wrongdoing, you can still be a whistleblower if you participated unknowingly or under direction from superiors. We evaluate all these factors during our confidential consultation to determine whether your case merits pursuit.
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