Whistleblower News From The Inside -- July 24, 2015

By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team

DOJ starts criminal probe into Sikorsky Navy contract — Sikorsky parent company United Technologies announces DOJ is seeking $148M in claims relating to allegations the helicopter maker overbilled the US Navy.  Reuters

Toshiba case points to shortcomings in Japan’s whistleblower law’s — “One of the more intriguing questions stemming from the Toshiba accounting scandal is this: Where was the whistleblower?”  Japan Times

Christie whistleblower access to grand jury records — “A former county prosecutor who claims the Christie administration quashed a set of indictments in Hunterdon County to help political allies, and then wrongly fired him for protesting, has won access to confidential grand jury materials he says will help him prove his allegations.”  NJ Spotlight

Senate passes Antitrust whistleblower protections — The Senate unanimously passed The Criminal Antitrust Anti-retaliation Act to extend whistleblower protections for employees who provide information to their employer or the DOJ regarding criminal antitrust violations.  Grassley

Whistleblowers share $1.8M in for-profit school FCA settlement — Five whistleblowers who alleged Education Affiliates, a chain of for-profit schools, admitted unqualified students and created fake high school diplomas for them will split $1.8 million as part of a False Claims Act settlement.  FCPA Blog

VA whistleblowers exonerated — Three VA whistleblowers who were retaliated against for revealing excessive opiate use and infestation are exonerated by the Office of Special Counsel.  Washington Post