In 2002  Time Magazine  named whistleblowers as the “Persons of the Year.” However, given the record-breaking recoveries under the False Claims Act in FY 2014, Time Magazine, may want to consider recognizing qui tam relators with this year’s “Persons of the Year” Award.

According to a recent DOJ press release, total FY 2014 False Claims Act federal recoveries – from both settlements and judgments – amounted to $5.69 billion. Of this total amount, qui tam, actions secured over half, or $3 billion. And of the $3 billion, over $2.3 billion was recovered in Medicare fraud and other healthcare fraud cases.

For the tenth year in a row, the pharmaceutical industry accounted for the substantial portion of the healthcare fraud recoveries. Most of these recoveries involved allegations that pharmaceutical manufacturers paid illegal kickbacks to healthcare providers and/or were off-label marketing.  The DOJ press release made special mention of Nolan Auerbach & White’s successful qui tam action against Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Scios, which was part of a global $1.1 billion settlement with J&J.

More information for whistleblowers is located at the Nolan Auerbach & White website.