Florida COVID-19-Related Fraud Lawyer
This year, the world was rocked by the devastatingly quick spread of COVID-19, which has devastated the economy, overwhelmed the healthcare industry, and led to the deaths of over a million people. Unfortunately, some unscrupulous individuals and companies have used this catastrophe to their advantage by filing false claims with the government in connection with coronavirus aid. Those who discover this type of deceptive activity can, however, file a qui tam claim on behalf of the government and if successful, could receive a substantial reward in return, so if you have evidence of government fraud and need to speak with a Florida COVID-19-related fraud lawyer about your legal options, please reach out to our office today.
Disaster Relief
It is not uncommon, during national crises, including natural disasters, terrorist attacks, and pandemics, for government agencies to look to the private sector for help in providing aid to U.S. residents. Unfortunately, many unscrupulous individuals and companies take advantage of the chaos of these kinds of national crises to defraud government programs. In 2007, for instance, after Hurricane Katrina devastated parts of Louisiana, an employee at one of the construction companies contracted by the government to repair, maintain, and demolish manufactured homes and trailers used by FEMA, reported the company for submitting invoices for work that hadn’t been performed. The government intervened soon after and the company reached an out-of-court settlement.
Similar concerns about the use of federal funds to treat the coronavirus have already been raised. Many nursing homes, for instance, have come under fire in recent months for their failure to provide the level of care required of institutions that receive federal aid. This is exactly the type of claim that a nursing home employee or other whistleblower is in the best position to report, as they will have specific knowledge of the workings of individual facilities.
Identifying and Reporting Fraud
Over the last year, federal, state, and local agencies have entered into numerous contracts with private sector companies in an effort to provide emergency goods and services to residents across the country. Anticipating that these contracts, along with the more than $2.2 trillion stimulus package that it passed could come with fraud-related risks, Congress directed the Department of Justice to begin prioritizing the investigation and prosecution of COVID-19-related fraud. However, these task forces, while they may discover a number of fraud-based schemes, cannot catch everything. For this reason, the DOJ and other federal agencies have continued to expressly encourage members of the public to blow the whistle on individuals and companies that are engaged in deceptive practices and under contract with the federal government.
Speak with an Experienced COVID-19 Fraud Lawyer in Florida Today
If you have discovered that an employer or someone you know is committing fraud in relation to COVID-19-related federal aid, please call our experienced COVID-19 fraud attorneys at Rabin Kammerer Johnson for help on deciding what to do next. To schedule an initial consultation with a member of our legal team, please call our office at 561-659-7878 or complete one of our brief online contact forms.