relator

A relator is a private individual who brings a lawsuit on behalf of the government . This term is often used in the context of qui tam actions under the False Claims Act . If the prosecution succeeds, the private party receives a portion of the reward. See False Claims Act .

For example, if an employee of a defense contractor discovered that their boss was defrauding the government, the employee could file a False Claims Act qui tam suit against their employer . In that action , the employee would be the relator, the employer would be the defendant , and the government would be the plaintiff . See, e.g., United States ex rel Eisenstein v. City of New York (08-660).

[Last reviewed in June of 2024 by the Wex Definitions Team ]

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