March 22, 2017 - Posts
Barrett Johnston Settles Retaliation Case on Behalf of Whistleblower for $225,000
Barrett Johnston Martin & Garrison, LLC is proud to confirm the recently reported $225,000 settlement on behalf of its client, a former Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office employee. The federal lawsuit was filed earlier this month and then promptly settled. The lawsuit alleged that our client engaged in protected whistleblowing activities that ultimately helped expose the corruption of Sheriff Robert Arnold. Ultimately, Arnold pled guilty to federal criminal charges and now awaits sentencing. As asserted in the complaint, Sheriff Arnold retaliated against our client for blowing the whistle by firing him once his whistleblowing activities became public.
Retaliation is a legitimate concern for many individuals who wish to blow the whistle on fraud. There are a number of laws that protect whistleblowers from firing, harassment or other forms of retaliation based on whistleblowing activities. For example, the False Claims Act prohibits employers from discharging, demoting, suspending, threatening, or in any other manner discriminating against employees who take action to stop the employer’s fraud.
“Whistleblowers who come forward and expose fraud often put their careers in jeopardy,” explains Jerry Martin, a partner at Barrett Johnston Martin & Garrison. “Here, the Sheriff was feathering his own nest with his e-cigarette business at the expense of Rutherford County taxpayers. When our client took matters into his own hands to confront and expose the Sheriff, he was fired. This settlement will help our client put this matter behind him. We were proud to represent him and vindicate his rights.”
To read more about the settlement on the Daily News Journal’s website, click the image below
FBI executes a search warrant after whistleblower exposes Sheriff’s fraud on the county. The Sheriff subsequently retaliated by terminating two whistleblowers.
To learn more about our Whistleblower & Qui Tam practice click here. Our firm is located in Nashville, Tennessee but we represent whistleblowers all around the country. All consultations are free and strictly confidential.