Whistleblower Attorney for Washington, DC

Qui Tam Lawyers in Washington, DC

A qui tam lawsuit lets a private citizen — the “relator” — file a False Claims Act case on behalf of the United States when they have evidence a company defrauded the government. Because so much federal spending flows through Washington, DC, qui tam cases here often involve government contractors, defense programs, healthcare funding, and federal grants. 

Two rules make experienced qui tam counsel essential in DC: the case must be filed under seal with a disclosure of your evidence to the Department of Justice, and only the first relator to file is generally eligible for an award — typically 15% to 30% of the government’s recovery. Timing and precision decide outcomes. Our qui tam lawyers help you file the right way and position the case for the best possible result. (Past results do not guarantee future success.)

Government Contractor & Defense Fraud Lawyers in Washington, DC

Washington, DC is the center of federal contracting, and contractor fraud — inflated costs, defective pricing under the Truth in Negotiations Act (TINA), cross-charging, false certifications, defective products, cybersecurity non-compliance, and bid rigging — is among the most common sources of False Claims Act recoveries. Brown, LLC has helped secure some of the largest FCA settlements in the country against major government contractors, including a $950 million aggregate recovery against Raytheon Technologies with a $428 million FCA component — the second largest procurement fraud recovery in the history of the False Claims Act. If you have inside knowledge of procurement or defense-industry fraud with a DC nexus, our team is built for exactly these cases. (Past results do not guarantee future success.) 

DC Tax Fraud Whistleblowers: The D.C. False Claims Act

Washington, DC is one of the only jurisdictions in the country where a whistleblower can bring a qui tam lawsuit for tax fraud. The federal False Claims Act excludes tax claims — but in 2021 the District amended its own False Claims Act (D.C. Code § 2-381.01 et seq.) to authorize private citizens to sue over DC tax fraud where the taxpayer’s District taxable income, sales, or revenue is $1 million or more for a taxable year and the damages pleaded total $350,000 or more. Violators face treble damages plus civil penalties of $5,500 to $11,000 per false claim, and whistleblowers may receive 15% to 30% of the District’s recovery. 

The statute has teeth. The District’s first major tax qui tam under the amended law resulted in a $40 million settlement with MicroStrategy and its co-founder over alleged evasion of DC income taxes — a case that began with a whistleblower. These cases are enforced by the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia, and our team includes an attorney who previously served in that office. If you have detailed knowledge of a high-income individual or business dodging District taxes — false residency claims, unreported income, or sales tax schemes — the D.C. False Claims Act may offer a substantial reward. (Past results do not guarantee future success.) 

Customs & Tariff Fraud Whistleblowers in Washington, DC

With tariffs at the center of federal trade policy, customs fraud has become one of the fastest-growing areas of False Claims Act enforcement — and these cases are decided in Washington. Common schemes include undervaluing imported goods, misclassifying products under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule, falsifying country of origin to evade Section 301 tariffs or antidumping and countervailing duties, and transshipping goods through third countries. Importers, customs brokers, freight forwarders, logistics employees, and even competitors are often the first to see it. A properly filed customs fraud qui tam can return 15% to 30% of the government’s recovery to the whistleblower. 

Medicare & Medicaid Fraud Whistleblowers in Washington, DC 

Healthcare fraud is the largest single source of False Claims Act recoveries nationwide, and the agencies that police it — the Department of Justice, HHS-OIG, and CMS — drive that enforcement from Washington. Our whistleblower lawyers handle Medicare and Medicaid fraud cases involving billing for services never rendered, upcoding, medically unnecessary procedures and admissions, kickbacks under the Anti-Kickback Statute, pharmacy, lab, and hospice schemes, and Medicare Advantage risk-score manipulation. If you work for a hospital system, physician group, laboratory, or insurer in the DC area and have seen fraud on federal healthcare programs, the first-to-file rule makes early legal advice critical. 

Whistleblower Retaliation Attorney in Washington, DC

Whistleblowers are protected from retaliation under several federal laws, including the False Claims Act, Dodd-Frank Act, Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and various agency-specific statutes. If you’ve been demoted, fired, harassed, or otherwise retaliated against for reporting misconduct, our whistleblower retaliation lawyers in Washington, DC are ready to help. 

Depending on the situation, whistleblowers may be entitled to back pay, reinstatement, and damages under the law — we’re here to walk you through those options. We typically handle whistleblower retaliation matters in conjunction with underlying False Claims Act or SEC whistleblower submissions, as appropriate, but occasionally will handle a standalone case if there are compelling facts and proofs. 

Depending on the facts, remedies in a whistleblower retaliation case can include: 

• Reinstatement to your position, or front pay where reinstatement isn’t practical;
• Back pay — in False Claims Act retaliation cases, up to double back pay — plus interest;
• Compensation for special damages, including attorneys’ fees and costs.

Retaliation claims are deadline-driven and the time limits vary by statute. If you suspect retaliation in Washington, DC, speak with a whistleblower retaliation attorney before you respond to your employer. 

Serving Whistleblowers Across the DC Metro Area

Brown, LLC represents whistleblowers throughout the District — from Capitol Hill, Georgetown, Foggy Bottom, and Dupont Circle to Navy Yard and NoMa — and across the DMV, including Arlington, Alexandria, Crystal City, Tysons, McLean, Reston, and Fairfax in Northern Virginia, and Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Silver Spring, Rockville, and College Park in the Maryland suburbs. Whether you work at a federal agency downtown, a defense contractor along the Dulles or I-395 corridors, a hospital system, or a government-facing consultancy, consultations are free, confidential, and available by phone or video — evenings and weekends included. 

*Aggregate recoveries in matters handled as counsel or co-counsel, including taxpayer recoveries.