DOJ Recovers More Than $3 Billion in False Claims Act Cases

In FY 2011, DOJ recovered more than $3 billion in settlements and judgments in civil cases involving fraud against the government, and almost all of this sum (a record high of $2.8 billion) was recovered under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Of the $3 billion total, $2.4 billion involved fraud against federal health care programs, mostly Medicare and Medicaid, with $2.2 billion coming from the pharmaceutical industry. In addition to the FCA cases, DOJ obtained $1.3 billion in criminal fines, forfeitures, restitution, and disgorgement under the FDCA.