Enforcement or Harassment?
False Claims Act cases, in which contractors are accused of defrauding the government, have risen exponentially since 1986 legislation increased incentives for whistleblowers to come forward. Judgments and settlements have risen, too.
| Year | False Claims cases filed: |
Recoveries in false claims cases: (in billions) |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 60 | $0.04 |
| 1989 | 95 | $0.02 |
| 1990 | 82 | $0.04 |
| 1991 | 90 | $0.07 |
| 1992 | 119 | $0.14 |
| 1993 | 132 | $0.18 |
| 1994 | 222 | $0.38 |
| 1995 | 277 | $0.25 |
| 1996 | 363 | $0.14 |
| 1997 | 533 | $0.63 |
| 1998 | 470 | $0.46 |
| 1999 | 482 | $0.52 |
| 2000 | 367 | $1.20 |
| 2001 | 310 | $1.30 |
| 2002 | 320 | $1.10 |
| 2003 | 326 | $1.60 |
| 2004 | 415 | $0.55 |
Source: Justice Department
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