It has been a rough few years for big machine builder Caterpillar. While, overall, the company is still seeing massive profits, the Internal Revenue Service is fighting hard to collect about $2 billion in taxes the business supposedly owes. The whistleblower in this case no longer works for Caterpillar, but if his information leads to tax collection, he could see a big payout. Michigan residents who take stances similar to this man could also be paid for taking action.
According to a recent report, the IRS raided Caterpillar headquarters in early 2017 in order to gather information that investigators hope will lead to the collection of taxes that the company paid to Switzerland instead of the United States by claiming that the income was produced by its overseas department. A former accountant for the company, however, claims that this is not the case; rather, the income was generated on American soil but the figures were adjusted to make it look like it was not so that the company could enjoy the smaller tax rate that it negotiated with Switzerland. When he made his case to his employers, this individual claims that he was retaliated against. Ultimately, he ended up leaving the company in 2012 because of this issue.
According to the IRS, whistleblowers may receive up to 30 percent of any funds it collects based on the information they provide. In the Caterpillar case, the 55-year-old former employee stands to collect up to $600 million if the information he provided results in the collection of taxes. This would be the biggest whistleblower payout ever.
Being a whistleblower takes great courage. There is always fear of retaliation, which should not happen but does, unfortunately. Michigan residents who feel that they need to take a stand against any wrongdoing by their employers can do so knowing that they will be protected under the law. An experienced attorney can help those who wish to file whistleblower claims in doing so and further assistance in seeking compensation for workplace retaliation can also be provided, as appropriate.
Source: newser.com, “Former Caterpillar Accountant Daniel Schlicksup May Become the Best-Paid Corporate Whistleblower of All Time“, John Johnson, June 1, 2017