By Jay L. Himes & Matthew J. Perez
With the Antitrust Criminal Penalty Enhancement and Reform Act (“ACPERA”) set to sunset in June 2020, legislators and relevant stakeholders will debate the law’s renewal and what changes, if any, should be made. A priority in the discussion should be whistleblower protection for individuals who disclose antitrust violations to the Department of Justice. Three protective features are appropriate. First, anti-retaliation protection for whistleblowers should be enacted. Second, a civil remedy for whistleblowers who suffer retaliation should be created. Finally, a bounty program to further incent whistleblowers to come forward should be adopted. The positive experiences of federal agencies with bounty programs confirm the adage: “money talks.”
