Whistleblower Insider Blog

US Plunges in Press Freedom Ranking

By Gordon Schnell Freedom of the press is an essential attribute of any real democracy.  At least it is certainly supposed to be.  But according to a just-released report by the international press rights group, Reporters Without Borders (RWB), the US is lagging far behind the rest of the free world when it comes to honoring this democratic mainstay.  This comes from RWB’s 2014 World Press Freedom Index, the...

Whistleblower News from the Inside - February 11, 2014

By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team RBS whistleblower makes claims of vampire bank – An employee of the bank’s global restructuring group claims the banking giant used "immoral, survivalist tactics" to destroy a number of businesses "that didn't need destroying" in an attempt to help save the bank during the credit crisis.  UK Channel 4 SelfRefind settles False Claims Act charges – The Kentucky chain of...

Whistleblower News from the Inside - February 7, 2014

By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team U.S. Government agents seize Edward Snowden's whistle – Hilarious satirical piece on NSA’s pursuit of Snowden.  The Spoof IOC considers whistleblower program – It would for the first time provide a safe channel for Olympic whistleblowers to report instances of doping, sexual abuse and other misconduct without fear of reprisal.  Fox Whistleblower alleges fraud scheme...

The Stubborn Persistence of Whistleblower Retaliation – Not Just a Problem for Whistleblowers

By Gordon Schnell The good news is that the amount of misconduct occurring in the workplace is at an all-time low.  So is the pressure on employees to engage in any kind of wrongdoing.  The bad news is that the level of retaliation against workers who report the misbehavior that does occur remains alarmingly high.  This comes out of the latest National Business Ethics Survey by the Ethics Resource Center...

From the Pentagon Papers to Edward Snowden – Part One of Our Interview with Tom Devine, Legal Director for the Government Accountability Project

Did you know the government almost left our airplanes unprotected despite knowing of an impending attack that would have made 9-11 look like a “skirmish?”  Why did Edward Snowden choose to go to the media instead of reporting his concerns internally?  Tom Devine, the Legal Director for the Government Accountability Project, spoke with us recently on these and other whistleblower issues.  Read on for Part One of...

Whistleblower News from the Inside - February 4, 2014

By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team Fake zombie invasion reveals real problems with cyber security – Hackers were able to take over the federal Emergency Alert System last winter to broadcast warnings of a zombie attack, highlighting a Senate report of widespread weaknesses in government agency cyber security.  Washington Post AstraZeneca’s anticlotting drug Brilinta under attack – Whistleblower files False...

Whistleblower News from the Inside - January 31, 2014

By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team Giants and Eli Manning sued for selling fake memorabilia – Lawsuit claims they sold fake “game worn” jerseys and helmets to rip off fans and collectors, in part because Eli allegedly wanted to keep the real worn items for himself.  CBS Whistleblower lawsuit charges Northrop Grumman with defrauding US – The action was filed under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims...

Monthly Roundup – January 2014

By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team Here is our look-back at the key whistleblower and fraud developments we have written about over the past month: Whistleblower of the Year The votes are in, more than two thousand of them, and animal-rights whistleblower Taylor Radig is Whistleblower Insider’s 2013 Whistleblower of the Year.  Read her story and how the voting went here. Featured Posts and Commentary

Whistleblower News from the Inside - January 28, 2014

By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team Legendary folk singer and “ever-so-gentle rabble-rouser” Pete Seeger dies at 94 – "Be wary of great leaders," he recently told AP. "Hope that there are many, many small leaders."  AP Court finds whistleblower retaliation claims subject to pre-dispute arbitration – A federal judge in New York compels arbitration of Dodd-Frank whistleblower retaliation claims, rejecting...

Whistleblower News from the Inside - January 24, 2014

By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team DOJ sues KBR for contract fraud in Iraq – The whistleblower-prompted False Claims Act action alleges that KBR submitted inflated and fraudulent bills and obtained illegal kickbacks in connection with its logistical support contract with the US Army in Iraq.  DOJ Ranbaxy woes continue – The U.S. has banned the company, one of the largest suppliers of ingredients for generic...