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What is false claims act law?

The False Claims Act ("FCA") allows a private individual with knowledge of past or present fraud on the federal government to sue on behalf of the government to recover compensatory damages, civil penalties, and triple damages. The FCA has become an important tool for uncovering fraud and abuse of government programs. The FCA compensates the private whistleblower, known as the relator, if his or her efforts are successful in helping the government recover fraudulently obtained government funds.

The FCA contains an ancient legal device called the "qui tam" provision which is shorthand for the Latin phrase:

qui tam pro domino rege quam pro se ipso in hac parte sequitur
he who brings a case on behalf of our lord the King, as well as for himself

The False Claims Act allows a private individual with knowledge of past or present fraud on the federal government to sue on the government’s behalf to recover compensatory damages, civil penalties, and triple damages.