Qui tam is a provision of the False Claims Act (FCA) in the United States that allows private individuals, known as “relators” or whistleblowers, to file lawsuits on behalf of the government against entities that have allegedly defrauded the government. The term “qui tam” originates from the Latin phrase “qui tam pro domino rege quam pro se ipso in hac parte sequitur,” which means “he who sues in this matter for the king as well as for himself.”
Under the qui tam provision, the whistleblower can potentially receive a portion of the monetary recovery obtained by the government as a result of the lawsuit, often ranging between 15% and 30% of the total recovery. This financial incentive encourages individuals with knowledge of fraud against the government to come forward and report the wrongdoing.
Qui tam lawsuits typically involve fraudulent activities such as overbilling for services, submitting false claims for payment, or providing substandard goods or services to the government. The FCA and qui tam provisions aim to protect public funds and deter fraudulent activities by holding perpetrators accountable.