(1) A person who knowingly presents or causes to be presented a false, fictitious, or fraudulent claim for allowance or payment to any city or town or its contractors forfeits the claim, including any portion that may be legitimate, and in addition is subject to a penalty of not to exceed $2,000 plus double the damages sustained by the city or town as a result of the false claim, including all legal costs.
(2) The forfeiture and the penalty may be claimed in the same suit.