Isolation and retaliation: the personal costs of blowing the whistle
Isolation and retaliation: the personal costs of blowing the whistle
Whistleblowers have sparked historic investigations and legal action for some of the country’s largest institutions. From Jeffrey Wigand exposing Big Tobacco to Edward Snowden going public about the U.S. government, the act of blowing the whistle can have major consequences for business and politics. But whistleblowing extends far beyond the headlines. In 2017, billions of dollars were recovered by U.S. investigators in fraud cases that were set off by whistleblowers. Writing for the New Yorker, Sheelah Kolhatkar explains the legal process for whistleblowers, known as qui tam, which partners the informant with FBI investigators. She spoke to Marketplace host Kai Ryssdal about the pain, fear and loneliness that whistleblowers face.
Click the audio player above to hear the full interview.
Stories You Might Like
There’s a lot happening in the world. Through it all, Marketplace is here for you.
You rely on Marketplace to break down the world’s events and tell you how it affects you in a fact-based, approachable way. We rely on your financial support to keep making that possible.
Your donation today powers the independent journalism that you rely on. For just $5/month, you can help sustain Marketplace so we can keep reporting on the things that matter to you.
