North Carolina § 1-607 - False claims; acts subjecting persons to liability for treble damages; costs and civil penalties; exceptions.

§ 1-607. False claims; acts subjecting persons to liability for treble damages; costs and civil penalties; exceptions.

Liability. - Any person who commits any of the following acts shall be liable to the State for three times the amount of damages that the State sustains because of the act of that person. A person who commits any of the following acts also shall be liable to the State for the costs of a civil action brought to recover any of those penalties or damages and shall be liable to the State for a civil penalty of not less than five thousand five hundred dollars ($5,500) and not more than eleven thousand dollars ($11,000), as may be adjusted by Section 5 of the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990, P.L. 101-410, as amended, for each violation: Knowingly presents or causes to be presented a false or fraudulent claim for payment or approval. Knowingly makes, uses, or causes to be made or used, a false record or statement material to a false or fraudulent claim. Conspires to commit a violation of subdivision (1), (2), (4), (5), (6), or (7) of this section. Has possession, custody, or control of property or money used or to be used by the State and knowingly delivers or causes to be delivered less than all of that money or property. Is authorized to make or deliver a document certifying receipt of property used or to be used by the State and, intending to defraud the State, makes or delivers the receipt without completely knowing that the information on the receipt is true. Knowingly buys, or receives as a pledge of an obligation or debt, public property from any officer or employee of the State who lawfully may not sell or pledge the property. Knowingly makes, uses, or causes to be made or used, a false record or statement material to an obligation to pay or transmit money or property to the State, or knowingly conceals or knowingly and improperly avoids or decreases an obligation to pay or transmit money or property to the State. Damages Limitation. - Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, the court may limit the damages assessed under subsection (a) of this section to not less than two times the amount of damages that the State sustains because of the act of the person described in that subsection and may assess no civil penalty if the court finds all of the following: The person committing the violation furnished officials of the State who are responsible for investigating false claims violations with all information known to that person about the violation within 30 days after the date on which the person first obtained the information. The person fully cooperated with any investigation of the violation by the State. At the time the person furnished the State with information about the violation, no criminal prosecution, civil action, or administrative action has commenced with respect to the violation, and the person did not have actual knowledge of the existence of an investigation into the violation. Exclusion. - This section does not apply to claims, records, or statements made under Chapter 105 of the General Statutes. History (2009-554, s. 1; 2018-41, s. 2.) Editor's Note. - Session Laws 2018-41, s. 10, made the amendment of subsection (a) by Session Laws 2018-41, s. 2, which inserted ", as may be adjusted by Section 5 of the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990, P.L. 101-410, as amended,'' following "$11,000),'' effective June 22, 2018, and applicable to actions brought on or after that date. Effect of Amendments. - Session Laws 2018-41, s. 2, inserted ", as may be adjusted by Section 5 of the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990, P.L. 101-410, as amended," following "($11,000)". For effective date and applicability, see editor's note.