| Practice Areas The Virginia Fraud Against Taxpayers Act (Virginia Code §8.01-216.1 et seq.) Qui tam litigation under the Virginia Fraud Against Taxpayers Act ("VFATA") is a specialty of the firm. Founding partner Zachary Kitts was the first lawyer in private practice to prosecute a non-intervened state false claims claim, which resulted in the Commonwealth recovering more than $47 million. To date, this is also the largest non-healthcare recovery under the Virginia Fraud Against Taxpayers Act. The Virginia Fraud Against Taxpayers Act protects the Commonwealth's fisc by imposing liability on anyone making a knowingly false or fraudulent claim to the Commonwealth for money or property. The statute imposes treble damages, civil penalties, attorney’s fees, and costs on those who violate its terms. Perhaps most important, any "person" with non-public, first-hand information about fraud on the Commonwealth can hire their own qui tam counsel, and prosecute a case in the name of the Commonwealth. Such individuals are called "relators" in the language of the statute, and they are entitled to receive anywhere from 15 to 30 percent of the Commonwealth's recovery. Zach was one of the principal architects of the comprehensive 2011 amendments to the Virginia Fraud Against Taxpayers Act, and he is also the author of a widely-read blog on qui tam practice in Virginia, which is found at www.vaquitamlaw.com To learn whether you might have a case under the Virginia Fraud Against Taxpayers Act, please call Zach or click here. |
 |
|