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Why You Should Retain Counsel During an Internal Investigation
If you have blown the whistle on potential ethics violations or illegal activity within your organization, you may need to take part in an internal investigation. This may appear to be a good thing — after all, the company is doing its due diligence to investigate the matter. However, what you may not realize is […]
TV Program Focuses on Whistleblower Issues
In a recent episode of the McCuistion Television Program, a panel of experts discussed important issues related to whistleblowers and why they often feel compelled to expose wrongdoing within businesses and organizations. It’s an interesting episode for those who would like to learn more about these issues. One of the panelists, Dr. Michael Winston, received […]
Lexington Medical Opts to Settle $17 Million Whistleblower Suit
Lexington Medical Center in Columbia, South Carolina, has settled a $17 million lawsuit with one of its former physicians, who had blown the whistle on alleged wrongdoing within the organization. As part of the settlement, Lexington did not admit fault, but it did allow the organization to avoid further litigation. In a statement, a hospital […]
Social Security Office Employee Files Complaint with Senate Committee
An openly gay employee of the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR) in Orland Park, Illinois, has filed a whistleblower complaint against the agency, stating that his superiors and colleagues created a hostile work environment due to his sexual orientation. ODAR is a division of the Social Security Administration (SSA). Donald C. Terry, Jr., […]
Former Director Blows Whistle on Higher Education Company
A former director of a satellite college campus location in Cheyenne, Wyoming, is suing the organization, alleging wide-scale fraud. Debbi Potts says she quit her job in 2012 after she was asked to lie on official documents so that the college could receive accreditation. In her lawsuit, she also claims that the Center for Excellence […]
SEC Whistleblower Chief Leaves Post
Sean X. McKessy officially left his post as chief of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Office of the Whistleblower in July. McKessy, who directed the office ever since it was established in 2011 after the passage of the Dodd-Frank Act, oversaw more than $85 million awarded to 32 different whistleblowers during his tenure. […]
Whistleblower Protection Bill Blocked in the Senate
A federal whistleblower protection bill introduced to the U.S. Senate by Ron Johnson of Wisconsin has been blocked by Minority Leader Harry Reid. The Dr. Christopher Kirkpatrick Whistleblower Protection Act of 2015 aims to provide greater protections to federal whistleblowers, including those working for the Department of Veterans Affairs. It is named after a psychologist […]
Strategies for an Effective Internal Investigation
If your business or organization is accused of wrongdoing, it’s important to have a sounds strategy in place to conduct a thorough internal investigation, responding quickly and effectively. However, these investigations take a lot of time, resources and planning — and so it’s often best to have a plan in place before any issues have […]
SEC Pays Out Second-Highest Whistleblower Award Ever in June
In early June, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) gave out the second-highest whistleblower award since 2011, the year its whistleblower program was established after the passage of the Dodd-Frank Act. The award, for $17 million, went to an individual who significantly advanced an agency investigation, allowed the SEC to save time and resources […]
SEC to Use Whistleblower Tips in Merrill Lynch Lawsuit
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will take action against brokerage firm Merrill Lynch, claiming that an investment that declined by about 95 percent in value was marketed using techniques its financial advisors said were “borderline crooked.” The upcoming case centers on the risks of “structured notes,” which are securities that banks build out […]
