International Whistleblower Attorney Encourages Global Use of U.S. Whistleblower Laws

Stephen M. Kohn, whistleblower attorney at Kohn, Kohn & Colapinto, recently delivered a keynote address at the 2020 Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) Conference Europe. The conference was held virtually due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.

“How do you create a whistleblower program where most employees will report?” Kohn asked the attendees. Kohn, who represents Danske Bank money laundering whistleblower Howard Wilkinson, believes the global use of strong U.S. whistleblower laws encourages insiders to step forward with information on fraud and corruption. “These laws work … and they pay.”

Kohn argued that European laws, which often provide the whistleblower with protection from retaliation, is an excellent first step. But providing the whistleblower with monetary incentives is what makes the U.S. laws so successful. “Why focus a whistleblower case on a discrimination case?” Kohn asked. “Why not focus the whistleblower case on motivating an insider?”

From Fraud Conference News: Are Rewards Necessary for Whistleblowers in Europe?