Whistleblowers Get New Incentives In Financial Overhaul

A little-known aspect of the financial-overhaul legislation passed by Congress last week provides new incentives--including potentially big monetary payouts--for people to report suspected securities fraud to the government. Some corporate defense attorneys say the new incentives are disconcerting because they could undermine companies' abilities to address problems internally. But lawyers who represent whistleblowers say the new incentives are needed because existing incentives aren't enough to encourage people to take on the risks of blowing the whistle, such as being fired from a job. Posted in: Internal Fraud