{"id":357897,"date":"2016-04-04T10:45:32","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T15:45:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/employment\/whistleblowers\/government-involvement-in-qui-tam-actions.html"},"modified":"2016-06-20T20:21:33","modified_gmt":"2016-06-21T01:21:33","slug":"government-involvement-in-qui-tam-actions","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/employment\/whistleblowers\/government-involvement-in-qui-tam-actions.html","title":{"rendered":"Government Involvement in Qui Tam Actions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Government Involvement in Qui Tam Actions<\/h1>\n
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A qui tam action is brought to recover for fraud committed against the federal government. Although qui tam actions are usually brought by private citizens or entities, the federal government does play a role in a qui tam action. The extent of the government’s involvement will vary from case to case, but typical examples are described below.<\/p>

The Initial Investigation<\/h3>

A qui tam action is commenced with the filing of a complaint (a document that sets out the details of the wrongdoing or fraud that forms the basis of the action) with a federal District Court. A copy of the complaint is also served on the United States Attorney for the district, and on the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. The complaint is filed and served “under seal,” to prevent its contents from becoming public information.<\/p>

After the complaint is served, the Department of Justice has a period of sixty days in which to make a preliminary investigation of the claim, and decide if it will participate in the lawsuit. The complaint remains under seal during this time. Since the service of the complaint may be the first time the government has any information regarding the fraud or other wrongdoing, the Department of Justice often will ask for additional time in which to investigate. Requests for additional time are usually granted, and it is not unusual for a preliminary investigation to take over a year.<\/p>

The preliminary investigation is conducted by the Inspector General of the agency whose program or contract was the subject of the alleged fraud or wrongdoing.<\/p>

Government Intervention<\/h3>

The government has several possible courses of action it may take after its preliminary investigation:<\/p>