Foreign Whistleblowers
Whistleblowers play a crucial role in the fight for accountability and a fairer and safer world. The cultures of profit over people and corruption must be deterred and brought to light.
Foreign Whistleblowers
Whistleblower laws have constantly evolved and expanded to offer protections to those that are willing to expose corruption and fraud.
Certain U.S. whistleblower laws allow individuals (no matter where located in the world) with information regarding corruption or fraud to pursue legal remedies inside the United States.
Brazilian
Whistleblowers
Brazil is among the foreign countries from which the highest number of tips to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) are originated. A few Brazilian companies publicly traded in the U.S. or foreign companies doing business in Brazil were involved with fraud and bribes in Brazil and have been fined by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). If a whistleblower was involved in such investigations, an award could be available. A former Brazilian orthopedic surgeon was awarded $4.5 million for reporting a medical device company that allegedly bribed doctors to win business.
Brazilian companies fined by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
- Vale S.A.
- IRB Brasil Resseguros S.A.
- Honeywell International
- GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes
- WEX Brazil
- TechnipFMC, PLC
- J&F Investimentos
- Biomet Inc.
As a Brazilian citizen and attorney, Martina R. Knowles has an inherent interest in bringing to light the long-standing culture of corruption ingrained in her home country. Fraud and corruption within society only lead to the suppression of individual and collective rights. Knowles Law Firm will stand up for those who are being impacted by misconduct and advocate for those whose human rights have been violated by corruption.
European Whistleblowers
Knowles Law Firm has an international reach, and certain whistleblower laws in the United States have extraterritorial scope, allowing European nationals to file whistleblower claims in the United States regardless of nationality or location.
Whistleblowing in Europe has been governed by country-specific regulations, which can widely differ, be too narrow, or even be non-existent.
The EU Whistleblower Directive 2019/1937 aimed at standardizing and improving protection for individuals who report breaches of EU law, by setting out requirements for reporting channels and minimum protections for whistleblowers. All Member States should have implemented the Directive by December 2021, but many failed to comply. Some countries now face legal proceedings by the European Commission for failing to implement the Whistleblower Directive, including Germany, Italy, Poland, and Spain.
The Directive requires Member States to provide whistleblowers from both public and private sectors with effective channels to confidentially report breaches of European rules and establishes a system of protection against retaliation. Some of the main EU Whistleblowing Directive requirements are the following:
- Companies with more than 49 employees are obligated to have a reporting system that meets the new requirements.
- Reporting channels must be available to employees, temporary staff, and third parties such as suppliers and customers.
- Employees must be clearly and transparently informed about the internal reporting offices.
- The whistleblowing system must allow providing information in writing or verbally
- Internal reporting offices must ensure the confidentiality of the whistleblower and any individuals mentioned in a complaint.
- Member States must establish effective, proportionate, and dissuasive sanctions for someone who hinder the reporting of violations or retaliate against the whistleblower.
- Member States are obligated to prohibit all retaliation.
- The burden of proof in labor dispute cases is reversed.
Knowles Law Firm has opened an office in The Hague, Netherlands, to straighten its relationship with the European community and to advance its advocacy for human rights, a fairer world, and a more just society.
Attorney Brian M. Knowles is an admitted Solicitor to the Senior Courts of England and Wales and an admitted Solicitor in the Republic of Ireland. Also, Martina R. Knowles is admitted to the practice of law in Portugal. Knowles Law Firm can assist you in providing legal advice on whistleblowing issues and concerns.
While European Member States’ regulators sort out their national whistleblower regulations, their citizens can benefit from the programs already implemented in the United States. Contact us to talk through your situation and any potential legal options you may have.
We constantly investigate allegations of fraud, misconduct, bribery, and other deceptive practices. Contact us to talk through your situation and any potential legal options you may have.
If you are aware of fraud, bribery, or other legal violations and would like to know about being a Whistleblower, you may contact us by phone at
Contact us for inquiries
Knowles Law Firm, PC will advocate for your rights.
United States
768 St. Andrews Blvd. Charleston, SC 29407 USA
Netherlands
WTC The Hague Business Center Princes Margrietplantsoen 33 2595 AM The Hague, Netherlands