DOJ Makes Significant Inflation Adjustment to Civil Monetary Penalties

DOJ published an interim final rule on June 30, 2016, adjusting civil monetary penalties for inflation, that nearly doubles the prior penalty amounts under the Civil False Claims Act from the existing range of $5,500 - $11,000 to a new range of $10,781 - $21,563. The increased amounts, however, apply only to civil penalties assessed after August 1, 2016, for violations that occurred after November 2, 2015, while the penalty amounts for penalties assessed or for violations that occurred before these respective dates remain unchanged.