Delaware Whistleblower Lawyer

Considering reporting a securities violation? A Delaware whistleblower attorney can help you remain anonymous and win a substantial financial reward.

Having knowledge of fraudulent activity at your workplace can weigh heavily on you. Concerns about retaliation for coming forward can cause anxiety. You are also likely worried about how the scheme will impact your colleagues, investors, and the company as a whole.

You don’t have to deal with this stress alone. Speak with a qualified Delaware whistleblower lawyer at Meissner Associates. We can help you remain anonymous while you submit a confidential tip. We’re ready to get you on the path to a whistleblower reward.

Investment Schemes

Recognizing the red flags that are associated with common types of investment fraud is difficult for even the most experienced investors, brokers, and other financial industry workers. Some of the types of securities violations that happen with alarming frequency include the following:

If you become aware of any of these kinds of schemes, it will be critical to report your tip quickly because waiting can reduce the amount you’re entitled to. A whistleblower lawyer in Delaware can help you report your tip quickly and anonymously.

Qualifying for a Whistleblower Reward in Delaware

Providing a tip to the SEC doesn’t always mean you’ll get a reward. The SEC whistleblower program, in conjunction with the Dodd-Frank Act, has developed criteria to qualify for a whistleblower award. These criteria are as follows:

  • Submit Your Tip Voluntarily – If the SEC has begun to investigate your company, it’s important that you come forward before the SEC requests to interview you, at which point you’ll be compelled to answer their questions. Then, the tip will not be considered voluntary and will be ineligible for a reward.
  • Provide Original Information – For a tip to be considered original, you’ll need to be the first whistleblower to tip off the SEC about this particular piece of information. The information also must have been brought to your attention through a source that hasn’t been made public. This might be through idle conversation at work or perhaps through internal documents the public doesn’t have access to.
  • Enforceable Action by the SEC – The tip you provide needs to directly lead to the SEC being able to take action against the violator in question. Action could come via monetary sanctions or judicial orders.
  • Sanctions Exceeding $1,000,000 – If the information you submitted meets all of the above criteria, but the SEC is not able to recover sanctions that exceed $1,000,000, you will not be able to receive an award.

If your tip meets these requirements, the amount you will be awarded will be based on how valuable your tip was to the success of the SEC’s internal investigation. If you were able to provide enforcement officers with names or dates, had the ability to interpret complex data they obtained, or had other confidential supporting documentation, your award will likely be higher.

It may be a challenge to tell whether the information you have makes you eligible for a financial reward. Luckily, your Delaware SEC whistleblower lawyer at Meissner Associates can assess your tip and give you some insight about what you can expect after you’ve tipped off the SEC.

How to Handle Retaliation

The fear of being retaliated against once an employer suspects you of blowing the whistle about fraudulent activity can be debilitating. Retaliation, as it pertains to whistleblowing employees, is described as the demotion, defamation, harassment, or termination of an employee for reporting fraud to the SEC.

If your employer makes going to work every day difficult due to hostile behaviors, this could also be considered retaliation. Although the Dodd-Frank and Sarbanes-Oxley Acts prohibit this type of action, employers in Delaware and across the country may choose to retaliate anyway.

When you are ostracized at work or otherwise retaliated against for submitting information to the SEC, your whistleblower attorney in Delaware can take action. We can file a claim for wrongful termination, and you could be reinstated to your former position or be awarded back-pay. In addition, the SEC may impose fines as punishment for your employer’s retaliation.

Reach Out to a Delaware Whistleblower Attorney

You can maximize your opportunity to win an SEC whistleblower award by working with a knowledgeable Delaware whistleblower lawyer at Meissner Associates. With our help, you can report your tip anonymously and remain eligible for a substantial reward. Fill out the secure contact form below or give our office a call at 1-866-764-3100 to schedule your free tip evaluation today.