U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Implementation of New Whistleblower Pilot Program

Press Release

Policy Encourages Individuals to Disclose Criminal Conduct in Order to Avoid Prosecution

WASHINGTON - U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves announced today the implementation of a new Whistleblower Non-Prosecution Pilot Program encouraging individuals to disclose criminal conduct undertaken by or through companies, exchanges, or other institutions. provided the whistleblower meets certain criteria. A copy of the policy is available on the USAO-DC webpage (embedded link). This pilot program is in addition to the Department of Justice's recently launched Corporate Whistleblower Awards Pilot Program which provides monetary incentives for the disclosure of previously undetected misconduct that the whistleblowers themselves did not meaningfully participate in.

"This pilot program will allow more persons, with information vital to criminal activity, to participate in the criminal justice system from the correct side of the law," said U.S. Attorney Graves. "Cooperating witnesses are an important tool in our fight to identify crime undertaken by or through public or private companies, or criminal conduct involving local bribery, which may otherwise go undetected."

The program, effective immediately, is designed to encourage individuals to come forward about previously unknown fraud, bribery, or other misconduct. The program applies in certain circumstances where an individual voluntarily discloses to the USAO-DC information regarding criminal conduct undertaken by or through public or private companies, exchanges, financial institutions, investment advisers, or investments funds involving fraud or corporate control failures or affecting market integrity, or criminal conduct involving state or local bribery or fraud related to federal, state, or local funds. It only offers benefits to those who did not play a leading role in the misconduct, and who are not in a position of executive leadership, or federal, state, or local law enforcement or officials.

The pilot program provides transparency regarding circumstances in which USAO-DC prosecutors will offer deferred or non-prosecution agreements to incentivize individuals to provide original information. Receipt of such information can assist in investigating and prosecuting criminal conduct that may otherwise go undetected, which will further encourage companies to create compliance programs that help prevent, detect, and remediate misconduct and to report misconduct when it occurs.

Additional information can be found at: District of Columbia | District of Columbia Whistleblower Non-Prosecution Program (justice.gov). Interested parties will also find an intake form that can be emailed to: [email protected].

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Updated September 16, 2024