Federal prosecutors in Manhattan have launched a new whistleblower program encouraging witnesses of public corruption and other crimes to come forward without fear.
At an informal sit-down with journalists who cover the federal courts in Manhattan, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said the idea behind the pilot program is to help prosecutors find out what they don’t know. He said he hopes it will help prosecutors root out corrupt power players by incentivizing whistleblowers to cooperate with the feds early and voluntarily in exchange for non-prosecution agreements.
“There are plenty of people, I imagine, out there who have some exposure, who are laboring under the kind of anxiety that they’ve done something wrong and they don’t want to live in fear, who, if they hear about it, we hope they end up giving us a call. There’s a path for them,” Williams said.
From C suites on Wall Street to the subway tunnels of the M.T.A., federal prosecutors hope to hear from staffers across the public and private sectors with information about nonviolent corruption offenses they’ve witnessed or participated in on the job.
They’re not looking to speak with elected or appointed officials, federal law enforcement, CEOs or people poised to become public figures — but their underlings who may be looking for a road to redemption. Whistleblowers who have participated in violent conduct, sex crimes or terrorism or who have a prior felony conviction for fraud and dishonesty are not eligible.
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