Va. Code » Title 8.01. Civil Remedies and Procedure » Chapter 3. Actions » Article 19.1. Virginia Fraud Against Taxpayers Act
Virginia Code

Va. Code Ann. § 8.01-216.7 (2026)

Award to private plaintiff

✓ current as of May 2026
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A. Except as hereinafter provided, if the Commonwealth proceeds with an action brought by a person under § 8.01-216.5, such person shall receive at least fifteen percent but not more than twenty-five percent of the proceeds of the action or settlement of the claim, depending upon the extent to which the person substantially contributed to the prosecution of the action. Where the action is one that the court finds to be based primarily on disclosures of specific information, other than information provided by the person bringing the action, relating to allegations or transactions in a criminal, civil, or administrative hearing, in a legislative, administrative, or Auditor of Public Accounts' report, hearing, audit, or investigation, or from the news media, the court may award such sums as it considers appropriate, but in no case more than ten percent of the proceeds, taking into account the significance of the information and the role of the person bringing the action in advancing the case to litigation. Any payment to a person under this section shall be made from the proceeds of the award. Any such person shall also receive an amount for reasonable expenses that the court finds to have been necessarily incurred, plus reasonable attorneys' fees and costs. All such expenses, fees, and costs shall be awarded against the defendant.

B. If the Commonwealth does not proceed with an action, the person bringing the action or settling the claim shall receive an amount that the court decides is reasonable for collecting the civil penalty and damages. The amount shall be not less than twenty-five percent and not more than thirty percent of the proceeds of the award or settlement and shall be paid out of the proceeds. Such person shall also receive an amount for reasonable expenses that the court finds to have been necessarily incurred, plus reasonable attorneys' fees and costs. All such expenses, fees, and costs shall be awarded against the defendant.

C. Whether or not the Commonwealth proceeds with the action, if the court finds that the action was brought by a person who planned and initiated the violation of § 8.01-216.3 upon which the action was brought, or if the person bringing the action is convicted of criminal conduct arising from his role in the violation of § 8.01-216.3, that person shall be dismissed from the civil action and shall not receive any share of the proceeds of the action. Such dismissal shall not prejudice the right of the Commonwealth to continue the action.

D. If the Commonwealth does not proceed with the action and the person bringing the action conducts the action, the court may award to the defendant its reasonable attorneys' fees and expenses if the defendant prevails in the action and the court finds that the claim of the person bringing the action was clearly frivolous, clearly vexatious, or brought primarily for purposes of harassment.

2002, c. 842.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 7 cases, 2006–2018 · leading case: Commonwealth v. Commonwealth Ex Rel. Hunter Labs., LLC, 817 S.E.2d 318 (Va. 2018).
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Commonwealth v. Commonwealth Ex Rel. Hunter Labs., LLC, 817 S.E.2d 318 (Va. 2018). · cites it 23× “The relator's share is smaller if the Commonwealth elects to proceed with the action, Code § 8.01-216.7(A), and larger if the Commonwealth elects not to participate in the action that the relator brought on behalf of the Commonwealth.”
United States ex rel. Johnson v. Universal Health Servs., Inc., 889 F. Supp. 2d 791 (W.D. Va. 2012). · cites it 2× “” Va.Code Ann. § 8.01-216.7(A). . Under the terms of the global settlement agreement, the amount the relators received in satisfaction of their individual claims has been kept confidential.”
Hunter Labs., ex rel. v. Commonwealth of Virginia, 828 F.3d 281 (4th Cir. 2016). “” See Va. Code Ann. § 8.01-216.7 (B). 7 . Although the Commonwealth declined to intervene when this litigation was pending in state court, the Attorney General appeared on behalf of the Commonwealth on September 26, 2014, when he moved the district court for disbursement of the…”
United States Ex Rel. Bogart v. King Pharm., 493 F.3d 323 (3rd Cir. 2007). “§ 1205(a); HRS § 661-27(a); Va.Code Ann. § 8.01-216.7(A); N.M. Stat. Ann.”
United States Ex Rel. Bogart v. King Pharm., 410 F. Supp. 2d 404 (E.D. Pa. 2006). “§ 1205(a); HRS § 661-27(a); Va.Code Ann. § 8.01-216.7(A); N.M. Stat. Ann.”
Virginia ex rel. Hunter Labs LLC v. Quest Diagnostics Inc., 100 F. Supp. 3d 542 (E.D. Va. 2015). · cites it 5× “However, federal courts have dismissed qui tarn Medicaid fraud claims *546 filed under the VFATA where some of the claims accrued prior to the enactment of the VFATA.”
Bogart v. King Pharm (3rd Cir. 2007). “§ 1205(a); HRS § 661-27(a); Va.Code Ann. § 8.01-216.7(A); N.M. Stat. Ann.”
— Va. Code Ann. § 8.01-216.7(A) — 5 cases
Commonwealth v. Commonwealth Ex Rel. Hunter Labs., LLC, 817 S.E.2d 318 (Va. 2018). “The relator's share is smaller if the Commonwealth elects to proceed with the action, Code § 8.01-216.7(A), and larger if the Commonwealth elects not to participate in the action that the relator brought on behalf of the Commonwealth.”
United States ex rel. Johnson v. Universal Health Servs., Inc., 889 F. Supp. 2d 791 (W.D. Va. 2012). “” Va.Code Ann. § 8.01-216.7(A). . Under the terms of the global settlement agreement, the amount the relators received in satisfaction of their individual claims has been kept confidential.”
United States Ex Rel. Bogart v. King Pharm., 493 F.3d 323 (3rd Cir. 2007). “§ 1205(a); HRS § 661-27(a); Va.Code Ann. § 8.01-216.7(A); N.M. Stat. Ann.”
United States Ex Rel. Bogart v. King Pharm., 410 F. Supp. 2d 404 (E.D. Pa. 2006). “§ 1205(a); HRS § 661-27(a); Va.Code Ann. § 8.01-216.7(A); N.M. Stat. Ann.”
Bogart v. King Pharm (3rd Cir. 2007). “§ 1205(a); HRS § 661-27(a); Va.Code Ann. § 8.01-216.7(A); N.M. Stat. Ann.”
— Va. Code Ann. § 8.01-216.7(B) — 2 cases
Commonwealth v. Commonwealth Ex Rel. Hunter Labs., LLC, 817 S.E.2d 318 (Va. 2018). “The relator's share is smaller if the Commonwealth elects to proceed with the action, Code § 8.01-216.7(A), and larger if the Commonwealth elects not to participate in the action that the relator brought on behalf of the Commonwealth.”
Virginia ex rel. Hunter Labs LLC v. Quest Diagnostics Inc., 100 F. Supp. 3d 542 (E.D. Va. 2015). “However, federal courts have dismissed qui tarn Medicaid fraud claims *546 filed under the VFATA where some of the claims accrued prior to the enactment of the VFATA.”
— Va. Code Ann. § 8.01-216.7(b) — 1 case
Commonwealth v. Commonwealth Ex Rel. Hunter Labs., LLC, 817 S.E.2d 318 (Va. 2018). “The relator's share is smaller if the Commonwealth elects to proceed with the action, Code § 8.01-216.7(A), and larger if the Commonwealth elects not to participate in the action that the relator brought on behalf of the Commonwealth.”
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