§4.14 B. Qui Tam Actions For False Claims

• Jurisdiction: New York

B. Qui Tam Actions for False Claims

In addition to civil enforcement actions by the State and local governments,⁴⁴⁷ the NY FCA allows any person to bring a qui tam civil action on behalf of the state or a local government for a violation of section 189.⁴⁴⁸ If the qui tam plaintiff recovers damages then the plaintiff is entitled to be awarded a percentage of the government’s recovery.⁴⁴⁹

A prospective qui tam plaintiff must file a complaint under seal with the Supreme Court and present it to the New York Attorney General.⁴⁵⁰ If the Attorney General—or, in cases involving the City of New York, the Corporation Counsel⁴⁵¹—declines to participate in the action or to authorize participation of a local government, then the qui tam plaintiff may proceed with bringing the suit.⁴⁵² However, the State or the local government suffering damages may settle or move to dismiss the suit over a qui tam plaintiff’s objections,⁴⁵³ and neither the State nor any local government is bound by a qui tam plaintiff’s acts.⁴⁵⁴

For any qui tam action where the Attorney General elected to convert the qui tam action, or to intervene in the action, or permitted a local government to convert the action or intervene in it, the qui tam plaintiffs are collectively...