On January 29, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Antitrust Division (Division) and U.S. Postal Service announced the first-ever payment under the antitrust whistleblower rewards program, awarding $1 million to an individual whose information led to a $3.28 million fine as part of a deferred prosecution agreement with EBLOCK Corporation, an online auction platform for used vehicles.
This landmark award marks a new chapter in criminal antitrust enforcement. Launched in July 2025 as a partnership between the Division and Postal Service, the whistleblower program provides monetary rewards for individuals who assist in the prosecution of antitrust crimes. Whistleblowers who voluntarily report original information about antitrust and related offenses with a nexus to the Postal Service that result in criminal fines or recoveries of at least $1 million are eligible for an award between 15 and 30 percent of the recovery, at the discretion of the Division. No information was provided regarding how the Division calculated the $1 million award in the EBLOCK enforcement action, which is slightly more than the 30 percent maximum award under the program, or whether the conduct affected the Postal Service other than via the use of the mail system.
The whistleblower’s tip helped expose that EBLOCK did not take immediate action to end a bid-rigging and fraud conspiracy after an acquisition. According to the Criminal Information and Deferred...
AT&T subsidiary Wisconsin Bell Inc. will pay $55 million to settle a long-running False Claims Act suit alleging it defrauded the Federal Communications Commission by overcharging schools and ...