Whistleblowers can play a critical role in exposing wrongdoing, safety risks and fraud. From government agencies to Wall Street to emerging industries like artificial intelligence, insiders must navigate a complex web of laws and procedures to safely share information.
“Ninety-five percent of whistleblowers think they’re going to get a handshake for reporting a violation. It’s like, ‘no, you’re going to get a knife in your back,’” Stephen Kohn, co-founder of the National Whistleblower Center and founding partner at Kohn, Kohn, & Colapinto LLP, said. “When a whistleblower comes into our office, they’re stressed, anxious, and they should be.”
Recent revelations about Thomas Crooks, the man who attempted to assassinate President Trump at a Pennsylvania rally, were only made public after a whistleblower came forward. They provided previously unseen photos, videos, and social media posts, shedding new insight into Crooks’ activities while so far remaining anonymous. While the case did not involve exposing any illegal activity, it highlights the challenges for whistleblowers in safely sharing sensitive information.
“Whistleblowing always has a lot of risk. It’s inherent. But by keeping confidential, following the laws, and being smart, you do have a really strong opportunity to end up on top,” Kohn said.
Kohn says the U.S. lacks a cohesive whistleblower law. Instead, protections exist across roughly 65 statutes, often created reactively after crises....
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