D.C. Passes Tax Whistleblower Law as ‘Deterrence Factor’ (1)

The District of Columbia will allow whistleblowers to file tax fraud lawsuits on behalf of the district and collect a bounty on amounts they recover under legislation approved by Mayor Muriel Bowser.

The new False Claims Amendment Act of 2020, B23-0035, makes Washington, D.C., one of the few jurisdictions permitting whistleblower enforcement of the tax code and the first to legislate such enforcement since New York changed its fraud statute in 2010.

Bowser signed the measure Wednesday without comment. The bill becomes law after a perfunctory review by Congress in the coming weeks.