Monthly Archives: December 2016
Atlanta Company Pays $265,000 in Sanctions to SEC
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has levied a $265,000 sanction against the Atlanta-based BlueLinx Holdings. According to reports, the company settled with the SEC for the amount in question to resolve allegations that it included illegal provisions in its severance agreements that prevented potential whistleblowers from coming forward with complaints to federal officials. […]
SEC Awards $4 Million to Whistleblower Who Alerted Agency to Fraud
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has provided an award of $4 million to a whistleblower who provided the federal agency with information related to a major instance of fraud. The SEC does not disclose much information related to its whistleblower awards, and it is careful to hold back any information that could reveal […]
FRSA Whistleblower Receives $1.6 Million in Jury Verdict
A Federal Railroad Safety Act (FRSA) whistleblower has received $1.6 million in a jury verdict after he was fired by BNSF for performing a safety check on an air brake on a train carrying hazardous materials. In his complaint, the plaintiff claimed that he was terminated for conducting the safety check after a supervisor told […]
Whistleblowers Could Play an Important Role as Major Banks Work to Combat Cyber Threats
The Wall Street Journal reports that eight of the country’s largest banks are joining forces to combat the ever-present threat of cyber crime — and whistleblowers are playing important roles in these efforts. The group of banks includes Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs and J.P. Morgan Chase. They are reportedly collaborating to share […]
Federal Agency Officials Recognize Importance of Whistleblowers
Four U.S. federal agencies recently celebrated National Whistleblower Day, marking the first time that any had officially recognized the event — even though Congress has passed resolutions proclaiming it in each of the past four years. Several high-profile officials spoke at the August 1 event, including Department of Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz, FBI Director […]
Court Rules that Whistleblowers Should Get More for Exposing Tax Evasion
A judge on the country’s highest tax court has ruled that whistleblowers who expose tax cheats to the U.S. government are entitled to receive more of the money recovered in these cases. Through a 10-year-old federal program, whistleblowers who report tax evaders may stand to receive between 15 to 30 percent of the total amount […]
Whistleblower Retaliation a Big Problem at Hanford Cleanup Site
In eastern Washington state, crews have been working on one of the most intensive and costly environmental cleanups in the U.S. history, addressing the site of a former nuclear production complex. This past summer, state Attorney General Bob Ferguson, a workers’ union and a watchdog group filed a motion asking a judge to force the […]
OSC Reports More Favorable Actions for Whistleblowers
A report from the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) indicates that 2015 was a record year in terms of favorable actions for whistleblowers, including corrective actions, stays, disciplinary procedures and changes to organizational practices. Officials with the OSC say they have received a notable uptick of retaliation complaints to the agency. These have come […]
Whistleblowers Urge Judge to Reconsider Dismissal of Claim Against CCS Medical
Three whistleblowers have asked a federal judge in Massachusetts to reconsider her dismal of a False Claims Act case in which a large medical supplier was accused of converting customers to another company in exchange for discounts and other benefits. The whistleblowers who exposed the problem said that the arrangement between CCS Medical and Coloplast […]
