Corporate Whistleblower Center Urges Insiders with Information about Misuse of Federal Grant Funds to Call Them about Reward Programs; There Was Just a Recent Reward
(PRWEB) November 25, 2014 -- The Corporate Whistleblower Center says, "We believe there is widespread misuse of taxpayer dollars in federal grant programs, and we are urging individuals who have well documented proof of fraud or overbilling with these types of programs to call us anytime at 866-714-6466. We cannot emphasize enough that it can be any type of federal grant program. We are especially interested in hearing from potential whistleblowers who have proof of waste, fraud or abuse with respect to federal grant programs focused on education, healthcare, food or food services, IT, environmental, almost any type of imaginable research, defense or national security, transportation, construction, housing, and or agricultural."
As an example, according to a October 30th, 2014 FBI press release a former cancer research physician at Northwestern University’s Comprehensive Center for Cancer in Chicago will pay the United States $475,000 to settle claims of federal research grant fraud. In a lawsuit filed in January this year, the government contended that the physician submitted false claims under research grants from the National Institutes of Health. The settlement covers improper claims that the physician allegedly submitted for reimbursement from the federal grants for professional and consulting services, food, hotels, travel, conference registration fees, and other expenses that benefited the doctor, his friends, and family from Jan. 1, 2003, through Aug. 31, 2010.
The allegations were initially made in a civil lawsuit filed under seal in 2009 by a whistleblower, who in 2007 and 2008 worked as a purchasing coordinator in hematology and oncology at Northwestern’s Feinberg School of Medicine.
The physician has agreed to pay the settlement by Dec. 1, 2014. The agreement covers allegations that false claims were submitted to NIH for costs that the doctor incurred on his grant-funded research projects involving adverse drug-events, multiple myeloma drugs, a blood disorder known as thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, and quality of care for cancer patients. The physician allegedly billed those federal grants for family trips, meals and hotels for himself and friends, and “consulting fees” allegedly for unqualified friends and family members, including his brother and cousin.
In this instance the whistleblower will receive $80,750 from the settlement.
Simple rules for a whistleblower from the Corporate Whistleblower Center:
- Do not go to the government first if you are a major whistleblower. The Corporate Whistleblower Center says, “Major whistleblowers frequently go to the federal government thinking they will help. It’s a huge mistake.”
- Do not go to the news media with your whistleblower information. Public revelation of a whistleblower’s information could destroy any prospect for a reward.
- Do not try to force a government contractor or corporation to come clean to the government about their wrongdoing. The Corporate Whistleblower Center says, “Fraud is so rampant among federal contractors that any suggestion of exposure might result in an instant job termination, or harassment of the whistleblower. Come to us first, tell us what type of information you have, and if we think it’s sufficient, we will help find the right law firms to assist in advancing your information.”
The Corporate Whistleblower Center wants to emphasize there are high quality whistleblowers in every state including California, New York, Florida, Texas, Massachusetts, Maryland, Rhode Island, Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, Missouri, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Kansas, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska.
Any type of insider or employee who possesses significant proof of their employer or a government contractor defrauding the federal government is encouraged to contact Corporate Whistleblower Center anytime at 866-714-6466 or via their web site at http://CorporateWhistleblowerCenter.Com
For attribution please refer to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's October 30th, 2014 press release on this matter. http://www.fbi.gov/chicago/press-releases/2014/former-northwestern-physician-to-pay-the-united-states-475-000-to-settle-cancer-research-grant-fraud-claims
Case number: United States v. Charles L. Bennett, M.D., No. 09 C 1943 (N.D. Ill.)
M Thomas Martin, America's Watchdog 6, http://CorporateWhistleblowerCenter.Com, +1 (866) 714-6466, [email protected]
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