(a) Any person who:
(1) knowingly presents, or causes to be presented, to an official or employee of the city a false or fraudulent claim for payment or approval;
(2) knowingly makes, uses, or causes to be made or used, a false record or statement to get a false or fraudulent claim paid or approved by the city;
(3) conspires to defraud the city by getting a false or fraudulent claim allowed or paid;
(4) has possession, custody, or control of property or money used, or to be used, by the city and knowingly delivers, or causes to be delivered, less property than the amount for which the person receives a certificate or receipt;
(5) is authorized to make or deliver a document certifying receipt of property used, or to be used, by the city and, intending to defraud the city, makes or delivers the receipt without complete knowledge that the information on the receipt is true;
(6) knowingly buys, or receives as a pledge of an obligation or debt, public property from an officer or employee of the city who lawfully may not sell or pledge the property;
(7) knowingly makes, uses, or causes to be made or used, a false record or statement to conceal, avoid or decrease an obligation to pay or transmit money or property to the city; or
(8) knowingly violates 42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b in connection with the provision of items or services included in a claim to the city is liable to the city for a civil penalty of not less than $5,000.00 and not more than $10,000.00, plus three times the amount of damages which the city sustains because of the act of that person. A person violating this section shall also be liable to the city for the attorneys’ fees and costs of a civil action brought to recover any such penalty or damages.
(b) Reduced damages. If a court adjudicating a violation of this section finds that:
(1) the person committing the violation furnished officials of the city responsible for investigating false claims violations with all information known to such person about the violation within 30 days after the date on which the person first obtained the information;
(2) such person fully cooperated with any city investigation of such violation; and
(3) at the time such person furnished the city with the information about the violation, no criminal prosecution, civil action, or administrative action had commenced under this chapter with respect to such violation, and the person did not have actual knowledge of the existence of an investigation into such violation, the court may assess not less than two times the amount of damages which the city sustains because of the act of that person.
(Added Coun. J. 12-15-04, p. 39918, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-7-18, p. 88797, § 1)