Atlanta Research Grant Fraud Attorney
Research and development are at the heart of our country’s attempt to maintain a competitive advantage in a whole host of industries. To this end, the federal government distributes billions of dollars to advance research in a variety of fields. Recipients include public or private universities, corporations, and non-profits who are studying all aspects of life, including the environment, experimental medical treatments, and energy production.
Unfortunately, research grant fraud is a persistent scourge which the government cannot eliminate. Federal inspectors regularly investigate allegations of research grant fraud, but a lot of this fraud is brought to light by whistleblowers—people on the inside who know about the fraud but are currently maintaining their silence. If you have evidence of research grant fraud, contact Stacey Evans Law today.
Types of Research Grant Fraud
There are many types of fraud, but typically it all involves misrepresenting something significant in the application for or the use of research grant funds. For example, the following are common examples:
- Covering up a conflict of interest in a grant application
- Misrepresenting facts when applying for a grant
- Fabricating data and/or hiding data related to research
- Charging too much for expenses or wages
- Misrepresenting who will perform the research
- Performing work outside the scope of the grant application
- Spending grant money for non-approved purposes, such as private research interests
This fraud not only costs the government millions of dollars, it degrades the quality of research being performed in this country. Some grant applicants submit falsified data, often to ensure additional grant funding. But government agencies then base decisions in part on this false data, to everyone’s detriment.
Uncovering Fraud
Most grants are made through one or more departments of the federal government, such as the National Institutes of Health, Department of Agriculture, Department of Defense, National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, and the Department of Education. Each department has established Federal Inspectors General who are focused on fighting fraud and waste in their programs.
Unfortunately, federal regulators cannot uncover everything. Some fraud is very well hidden. Only a few people at the recipient university or company might fully understand the fraudulent scheme, while others might know bits and pieces.
If you possess evidence of fraud, you might be able to blow the whistle on illegal activity and file a lawsuit under the False Claims Act. These types of lawsuits—called qui tam suits—are brought by private citizens for the fraudulent waste of government funds. The person or entity committing the fraud typically pays back double or triple the amount they defrauded, and the person bringing a successful qui tam suit can obtain a portion of the amount recovered.
Blow the Whistle on Research Grant Fraud
To learn more about your rights to expose research grant fraud, contact Stacey Evans Law today. In a confidential setting, we can listen to you describe your situation and offer frank advice on what it means to blow the whistle on research grant fraud. Call or send us an online message.
