Can I potentially be prosecuted if I turn my employer over to federal authorities? 34 Answers as of October 26, 2011

Contact an attorney who represents whistle blowers. You do not, depending on the circumstances, have a requirement to inform authorities about illegal conduct. So, I doubt you have any difficulties. But it would probably be good to use an attorney as a filtering conduct to authorities.

You probably should consult with a lawyer first. If your employer learns that you turned him in, he will probably try to accuse you of being in on his frauds per some other criminal behavior.

You can ALWAYS go to the authorities with information on a crime. It's their duty to investigate it. I don't know why you think that you may prosecuted for doing this.

Yes. Obtain counsel.

Did you participate in the scheme? If so then, yes get an attorney.

Anytime a person chooses to be a whistleblower, it is wise to retain an attorney to assist them and to protect them from any potential penalties that could arise to the company.

You cannot be prosecuted if you did not knowingly violate the law.

I don't know what you could be prosecuted for unless you somehow broke the law yourself. If you are terminated because of turning your boss in, you may have a claim under the Whistle-blower Statute. Talk with an attorney for more information.

You can be prosecuted if you were an accomplice. If you aided the crimes in any way you are an accomplice.

Yes. You should consult a specialist in White Collar Crime or a Securities lawyer.

Let the attorney handle it and get you a guarantee of immunity.

If you did not participate in the criminal action and this is supported by evidence you would not need an attorney. If you have any doubts about being charged with your employer or in place of your employer then consult an attorney.

It is usually a good idea to have an attorney on retainer for this kind of thing. However, if money is an issue, just stick to telling the authorities the facts. Don't inject your opinion, embellish or exaggerate. Simply call 911 and relate the facts to the dispatcher. When the 911 operator answers, tell her that you are not reporting an emergency. Rather tell her that you need an officer to come and take a report concerning a theft and they will dispatch an officer when one becomes available. As long as you are reporting facts and doing so in good faith, you need not worry about libel or slander. But as I have stated, it's better to have an attorney with you.

If you were involved in his disception you could be prosecuted and should have an attorney before you approach a prosecutor's office.

Yes you should consult counsel before you do anything.

You should consult with a lawyer to see if you need to obtain immunity.

It can be delicate. If your working for a company that is committing some sort of malfeasance, then how sure are you that the illicit activities aren't connected to you, and how sure are you that the activities can't be connected to you by the authorities and/or a criminal that wants to avoid liability. If money is no issue, then it would be best to hire an attorney to help with the process. Furthermore, most attorneys have connections that you do not have and know the right places to go, and can get in contact with people a little easier. It's always a good idea to do the right thing as you suggest.

I do not know how you could get in trouble for something your employer is doing, but I would suggest you consult an attorney to be sure.

A word of caution before proceeding: You had better be darn certain the accusations you plan on making are true and accurate or you will be setting yourself up for a slander charge. Not only slander, but slander-per-se, meaning the person slandered won't have to prove pecuniary damages ($ lost) to collect damages from you. It cannot hurt to discuss what you know with an attorney as his or her judgment regarding what are and aren't legitimate reasons for believing what you do is probably a bit more finely tuned than your own - no offense intended.

You should definitely retain a lawyer first to make sure you don't get into trouble. That lawyer can contact the authorities for you to ensure your good intentions don't get twisted against you.

Yes. You need to consult with a lawyer before you make any decisions. If an investigator make a promise to you that he will not prosecute you, that promise is not binding on him or the United States (or State of Texas). So, let's say you go to the authorities. They promise that if you come in they will not prosecute you. You go in and tell them everything and unknowingly tell them that you were involved (you helped him or followed his orders or knew what was happening was wrong but continued to do it). Then the prosecutor can decide to charge you with this, and the promise that was made is not binding on him. However, if you hire a lawyer, a lawyer can contact the authorities and make sure that what you tell them is pursuant to an agreement that you will not be prosecuted. Your attorney should know how to make this deal so that the government cannot pursue charges against you. Additionally, everything you tell the government can be used against you, everything your lawyer says cannot be imputed to you if your lawyer knows what he/she is doing.

You better contact a lawyer first. There is no guarantee that a whistle-blower won't be prosecuted.

Yes getting counsel would be smart so you don't caught up as a defendant.