DOJ wants public and private whistleblowers to come forward

U.S. Attorney Jessica Aber said in a statement that the program focuses on cases of fraud and public corruption.

“We encourage people to report these crimes and cooperate with us,” Aber said. “In exchange for this information and continued cooperation, we promise that legitimate whistleblowers will not be prosecuted. And if you choose not to report, someone else may do so.”

According to the program policy, a whistleblower may report misconduct in the following circumstances: public companies, financial institutions, and government agencies at the state or local level.

Aber said her office will only enter into non-prosecution agreements if a crime was not previously publicly disclosed or the government did not know about it.

The persons indicated by the whistleblower must be “equally or more guilty than the whistleblower,” we read in the announcement.

The program does not cover elected officials, and individuals who disclose information to Aber’s office face the loss of any benefits or profits they received at the time of the disclosure.

Aber wrote that by explaining the terms of the program, she hopes to encourage individuals and their attorneys.

“This, in turn, will help expose more instances of misconduct and better protect communities” under Aber’s jurisdiction, the statement said.

The Eastern District covers northern Virginia, central Virginia, and the Hampton Roads region.

Aber was nominated to the position by President Joe Biden and unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate in 2021.