A whistleblower suit under the federal False Claims Act that, if won, may force Duke to return up to three-times the amount of ill-gotten funds to the government.
False Claims Act lawsuits have not typically been used to target academic institutions, but this trend is shifting as charges of scientific misconduct continue to rise. Duke is now among a handful of Universities that have faced False Claims Act lawsuits. It is also one of 11 research universities that account for a majority of federal funding for academic science over the past decade.
Included in the allegations are 49 grants worth $82.8 million from the National Institutes of Health, the Environmental Protecting Agency, and various other federal agencies that were intrigued by the data reported by Potts-Kant. An additional 15 grants, worth $120.9 million, are also being called into questions. If this case is successful, it could result in significant compensation for the whistleblower as well as a repayment of funds to the government.
If you are aware of any fraudulent activities in your place of work, please contact Yoffy, Turbeville & Reichle at 800-898-5192 to schedule a free consultation. We handle whistleblower cases from all areas of the country.