Logo
Menu
  • Home
  • Practice Areas
    • Medical Malpractice LawHelping New York Medical Malpractice, Personal Injury Cases
    • Close
  • New York Injury News
  • Press release
    • Injury News
    • Motor Vehicle Accidents
    • Personal Injury Accidents
    • Construction Accidents
    • Medical Malpractice
    • Premises Liability
    • Product Liability
    • Work Related Fire Fighter Deaths
    • Wrongful Death
    • Close
  • Ask A Lawyer
  • Free Case Evaluation
  • Sitemap

Home » Injury News » Lance Armstrong Seeks Dismissal of Whistleblower Lawsuit

Lance Armstrong Seeks Dismissal of Whistleblower Lawsuit

New Source: JusticeNewsFlash.com
08/10/2013 // Whistleblower Law Firm (Press Release) // Keller Grover, LLP // (press release)

Facing a potential $120 million penalty in a whistleblower lawsuit, Lance Armstrong has moved to dismiss the case, in which he is accused of defrauding the U.S. government by accepting sponsorship money while using banned performance-enhancing substances. The filing — made on July 23 — argues that the U.S. Postal Service, which sponsored Armstrong’s racing team from 1995 through 2004, should have known he was doping, and so no fraud occurred.

For years, Armstrong had denied claims that he used the banned substances, only to admit doing so in January. He has been stripped off his seven Tour de France titles and banned for life from competitive cycling.

The whistleblower suit had been initiated in 2010 by a former Armstrong teammate, Floyd Landis. It was brought under the federal False Claims Act, which allows private individuals to sue for alleged fraud against the government and receive a share in any ultimate recovery. Since it was substantially overhauled in the mid 1980s, the Civil War-era statute has been a remarkably potent weapon in the fight against fraud, resulting in some $30 billion in recoveries for taxpayers.

Landis’s lawsuit, which was joined earlier this year by the federal government, alleges that Armstrong and others — including Thomas Weisel, the team’s owner, and Johan Bruyneel, its manager — defrauded the government when they accepted $40 million in sponsorship fees from the Postal Service while breaching their obligation not to use performance enhancement drugs.

But in his motion to dismiss the whistleblower suit, Armstrong counters that the Postal Service should have known that he was doping, as allegations that he did so have long garnered media attention. Armstrong’s 25-page filing also contends that the Postal Service received substantial benefits from its sponsorship, including “favorable publicity,” and access to special perks and events during the Tour de France competitions.

If found to have violated the False Claims Act, Armstrong and the other defendants could be liable for up to three times the $40 million in sponsorship money paid to the team over the nearly 10-year life of the partnership. The notion of ‘benefits’ has been at the core of both sides’ arguments in the case — and an issue that may have important implications for future False Claims Act lawsuits, say whistleblower lawyers.

“Armstrong’s side is saying that the government knew about the doping and the Postal Service benefited more than it was harmed” says Jeffrey F. Keller, a founding partner at Keller Grover, a nationally recognized whistleblower law firm, and a veteran whistleblower lawyer. “Those are factual questions that should be decided as the case goes forward. If Armstrong’s side can put together a defense to the claims, as it appears to be doing in this motion, it has enough notice of what the claims against him are. Let’s see what the facts bear out.”

While the whistleblower suit has regularly been making headlines, this issue of benefits — and the arguments each side is making — is the real news in this case, says Keller, whose firm has offices in Los Angeles and San Francisco.

“Over the years, we’ve seen whistleblower statutes like the False Claims Act make a significant dent in fraud committed against taxpayers,” says Keller. “Congress and the courts have repeatedly made clear that you have to turn square corners when you contract with the government and if you don’t you may have liability under the False Claims Act. How Armstrong’s defense of government benefit plays out in the case will have ripple effects in other cases that have nothing to do with doping or famous athletes.”

Media Information:

Address:
Phone: 866.486.1537
Url: whistleblower lawyers News Source: JusticeNewsFlash.com – Press Release Distribution

It's only fair to share...Pin on Pinterest
Pinterest
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter
Share on LinkedIn
Linkedin
Share on Facebook
Facebook
Email this to someone
email
Print this page
Print
September 20, 2013   injurynewsreporter
Injury News
×

  • 5 Kids Plowed Down by Out-of-Control SUV in Queens
  • Whistleblowers May Prove Vital as Government Targets Hospice Fraud

Recent News and Press Coverage

  • Todd Stager, Esteemed SEO for Lawyers Expert, Embarks on a New Journey with His Own SEO Firm March 11, 2024
  • Attorney Dan Powell Examines the Financial Challenges of Not Having a Living Trust: Implications for Business Owners February 16, 2024
  • Adam P. Boyd Leads Innovative Masterclass on Strategies for Law Firm Growth February 14, 2024
  • David Dardashti Donates to Expand Research on Sexual Violence Among Children and Develop Prevention Protocol. January 29, 2024
  • A Queens County Supreme Court jury rendered a verdict for $7 million In Medical Negligence Case December 1, 2023
  • Record-Breaking $700,000 Verdict by Mezrano Law Firm Redefines Justice in Personal Injury Cases November 30, 2023
  • The Law Office of Richard Roman Shum Unveils Comprehensive Guide on New York Divorce Laws October 12, 2023
  • Brooklyn Estate Planning Attorney Yana Feldman Offers Free Services for Israel-bound Volunteers October 12, 2023
  • Google Drops FAQ Rich Snippets so Custom Legal Marketing Released a Video to Help Lawyers Understand Why October 5, 2023
  • Bronx Injury Attorneys Explain How Damages Are Calculated August 22, 2023
  • ZeroRisk Cases, Inc. Utilizes Cutting-Edge Technology to Target High-Quality Plaintiffs in Talcum Powder Litigation August 15, 2023
  • ZeroRisk Cases, Inc. Unveils Advanced Website Platform and Digital Marketing Strategy for Increased Law Firm Growth August 15, 2023
  • The Search Engine Domination Society Achieves a 300% Increase in Client Calls for NYC Personal Injury Lawyer August 11, 2023
  • Federal Tax Credits ERC Updates and Releases New Informational Videos about ERC July 6, 2023
  • Who is Liable for Dooring Accidents? Bronx E-bike Attorney Glenn A. Herman Explains July 4, 2023
  • Weizhen Tang Announces Publication of Law and Justice: My Struggle During His 2026 Mayoral Campaign July 4, 2023
  • Enhancing Data Compliance with AdvisorVault: Heritage Brokerage’s 17a-4 Trusted Partner July 3, 2023
  • Attorney Beau Harlan: The Champion of Justice Unveils Comprehensive Legal Services for Vancouver, WA and Portland, OR June 28, 2023
  • The Legal Process for Motor Vehicle Accidents in New York City June 2, 2023
  • NYC Bicycle Accident Lawyer Explains Winning an Accident Claim March 20, 2023

Archives

  • March 2024
  • February 2024
  • January 2024
  • December 2023
  • November 2023
  • October 2023
  • August 2023
  • July 2023
  • June 2023
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • July 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • April 2010
  • March 2010
  • February 2010
  • January 2010
  • December 2009
  • November 2009
  • October 2009
  • September 2009
  • August 2009
  • July 2009
  • June 2009
  • May 2009
  • April 2009
  • March 2009
  • February 2009
  • January 2009
  • December 2008
  • November 2008
  • October 2008
  • September 2008
  • August 2008
  • July 2008
  • June 2008
  • December 1999
  • January 1970
New York Injury News
1512 Schorr Place
PMB #35071
Bronx, NY 10469
718-210-1007
Copyright © 2025 New York Injury News
Go to mobile version