Top Chicago Federal Criminal Defense Lawyer Michael Leonard explains DOJ Whistleblower Pilot Program. As a top Chicago federal criminal defense lawyer, I have had several inquiries regarding the DOJ’s “Whistleblower Pilot Program,” and its expected impact.
The Federal Department of Justice just recently began this program, effective April 15, 2024. The purpose of the Program is to incentivize and encourage the self-reporting/self-disclosure of criminal offense that involved corporations and entities. In short, in return for such disclosure and “cooperation, an individual can become eligible to gain the benefit of a non-prosecution agreement. The information must be based upon some type of first-hand information, and not be already known to the DOJ – i.e., “original.” The underpinning of providing such a benefit to the reporting party is that the criminal conduct might continue to go undetected and might be difficult or impossible to prove otherwise.
The conduct covered by the Program includes the alleged violations committed by: 1) financial institutions, including their employees and agents, regarding such offenses as: money laundering, money transmitting businesses, and fraud; 2) violations regarding the integrity of the financial markets; 3) violations regarding foreign corruption and bribery; 3) violations regarding health care fraud; 4) violations, by or through companies with 50 or more employees, regarding fraud; and 5) violations by companies regarding bribes or kickbacks to US public officials.
You can access the actual full DOJ guidance via this link: here.
Moreover, if you believe you are or might possibly be such an eligible whistleblower, contact the experienced Federal criminal white collar lawyers at Leonard Trial Lawyers.
Michael Leonard
Leonard Trial Lawyers
May 1, 2024