Monthly Archives: October 2016
Grisham’s “The Whistler” May Open the Door to More Whistleblowers
Book Review: Grisham’s “The Whistler” by Florida Business Attorney Adam Rabin The hype is upon us with the release of John Grisham’s new legal thriller, “The Whistler.” While it feels like yesterday when I was a law student and could not stop turning the pages of “The Firm,” I am particularly excited for Grisham’s… Read More »
Is Anybody Watching Your Broker?
The financial industry is highly regulated, and for good reason. People entrust their stockbrokers and financial planners with some of the most important decisions in their lives, namely, what to do with their hard earned life savings. Money is important, and especially for the elderly and retired, it cannot always be replaced. If money… Read More »
IRS Whistleblower Program Needs Help
On August 30, 2016, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration issued a report following an audit of the IRS Whistleblower Program. The audit was conducted to determine whether whistleblower claims are being appropriately and timely processed for investigation and examination. The report confirms much of what lawyers who practice in this area already… Read More »
Do I Have Qui Tam Case?
How do you know if you have a Qui Tam Case? Under the False Claims Act, persons who know about fraud against the federal government can receive a reward for reporting that fraud and helping the Government recover money from the wrongdoer. We receive many calls from potential whistleblowers who wish to report serious… Read More »
Life Cycle of a FINRA Claim
Virtually every new account application with any brokerage firm contains a pre-dispute arbitration agreement. This agreement requires that any dispute you have with your stockbroker or brokerage firm be filed with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) instead of being filed in court. The FINRA arbitration process differs from the court system in several… Read More »
What Happens After I Blow-the-Whistle and File a Qui Tam Case?
If you are considering blowing-the-whistle on government fraud, you are probably wondering what happens once you file a qui tam lawsuit under the False Claims Act. The False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. ยง 3729 et seq., contains a very detailed process for bringing a whistleblower case. Steps involved in a qui tam case Before… Read More »
Prime Bank = Prime Fraud
Prime Bank Instrument Fraud If you have been approached to invest in “prime bank” instruments, don’t do it! It is a scam. Prime bank scams purportedly involve the trading of prime bank instruments issued or guaranteed by financial institutions such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, or the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank…. Read More »
Putting Down a Deposit? Beware of Liquidated Damages Clauses
Florida Contract Law: Liquidated Damages Clauses In a nutshell, a liquidated damages clause in a contract sets forth a specific sum of money that one party can collect or retain if the other party breaches the contract. The point of such a clause is to settle on an amount of damages ahead of time… Read More »
When Healthcare Fraud Turns Deadly
Deadly Healthcare Fraud in Florida and Beyond Do you think Medicare and Medicaid fraud is a victim-less crime? Think again. Many times, health care fraud only causes monetary damages to the government and taxpayers. Depending on the type of fraud, however, it can also result in injuries to or even the death of Medicaid… Read More »