Establishing and proving Federal False Claims Act elements and defenses in government investigations and litigation can make the difference in winning or being an open target for prison time or hefty civil fines. The False Claims Act, 31 USC 3729, is the government’s favorite legal tool to prosecute and impose… Read more »
By Theodore P Watson, Esq– Government Contract Whistleblower Attorney (Defense). Qui Tam Lawsuits can ruin a federal contractor’s future and shut companies down if not defended correctly. The Qui Tam defense attorneys at Watson & Associates, LLC aggressively defend small businesses and large DOD contractors doing business with the federal government… Read more »
If you are planning on filing a Qui Tam lawsuit, the following information may help you to better understand the basics and ground rules. Understanding what is a Qui Tam Relator is critical before hiring an attorney. As a government contractor, having the expertise on your team to defend against… Read more »
Avoid Costly Mistakes Made By Government Contractors in OIG Investigations. Theodore P. Watson, Esquire. As it relates to government contracting and federal procurement, various agencies have Office of Investigations departments ( SBA IG) investigation, VA OIG, and DOJ OIG investigations), otherwise known as the Office of Inspector General (OIG), that… Read more »
Act quickly if you are under investigation or worried about violating Buy American Act BAA compliance requirements. Theodore P Watson, Esq – Practice Leader This section is only written to provide information to small businesses and larger federal government contractors regarding common issues and questions raised about the Buy American Act… Read more »
What is the government contract fraud investigation process? By understanding the basic rules of engagement, federal contractors can minimize criminal liability and hefty fines. By Theodore Watson, Esq. The procurement fraud investigation process often starts at the contracting officer (CO) level either during the award or performance stages. Under FAR Part… Read more »
Do You Have the Right Government Contract Fraud Defense Lawyer? Federal government contract fraud prosecutors have been pursuing defendants at full speed in the last 5-7 years. The companies involved are alleged to have committed a series of procurement fraud activities. The criminal defendants, which could be the company, or… Read more »
The focus on SDVOSB fraud in government contracting has significantly increased over the last five years. Service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses find themselves facing criminal conspiracy charges while also submitting false claims in an effort to defraud the government and ultimately obtain SDVOSB set-aside contracts with the VA or other government… Read more »
There is no nice way to explain the federal investigation process. Individuals, corporations and even unintended third parties are fair game. Federal prosecutors are here to build a criminal case. Sometimes the facts during a federal criminal investigation can point to you. Nevertheless, always remember that those who may at… Read more »
Do you know the signs of being under federal investigation by the federal government? When investigators contact you, or agents serve you with a civil investigative demand. (CID) or a federal subpoena request, or you receive a DOJ target letter, you must be very careful of how you proceed next…. Read more »