Houston, TX – March 19, 2026 – Oberheiden P.C. is pleased to announce that the firm is now handling U.S. customs, trade, and tariffs whistleblower cases nationwide. This includes customs fraud cases, tariff evasion cases, and other cases involving unpaid duties and trade fraud.
Last year, the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Criminal Division announced the formation of a cross-agency Trade Fraud Task Force involving personnel from the DOJ and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). This task force is targeting entities and individuals suspected of evading customs duties and tariffs imposed under U.S. law, with a particular emphasis on preventing foreign entities from gaining an unfair advantage against domestic industries. In its announcement, the DOJ stated that it, “welcome[s] the vital contributions of whistleblowers who can help identify fraud schemes involving an array of imported products.”
Oberheiden P.C.’s attorneys are available to assist tariff and customs fraud whistleblowers with contacting the Trade Fraud Task Force. According to the firm’s founding attorney, Dr. Nick Oberheiden, “While the DOJ and CBP are devoting substantial resources to enforcing trade compliance, they still rely heavily on whistleblowers to come forward. We are expanding our whistleblower practice to encompass these cases, and our attorneys are prepared to work directly with the DOJ and CBP on behalf of our clients.”
Dr. Oberheiden says the firm is handling all types of cases falling within the Trade Fraud Task Force’s enforcement jurisdiction. “This includes cases involving forged or altered invoices, use of incorrect country of origin marks, and all other forms of fraudulent conduct.” He continues, “If a company or individual has engaged in any form of fraud to avoid customs duties or tariffs—whether involving the Harmonized Tariff Schedule, countervailing duties, or otherwise—this is a scenario in which our firm’s experienced whistleblower attorneys can help.”
According to Dr. Oberheiden, whistleblowers who are prepared to report customs fraud or tariff fraud to the United States government will typically need to come forward under the False Claims Act. “While the False Claims Act prohibits private parties from submitting fraudulent claims for payment to the federal government, it also prohibits ‘reverse false claims,’ which involve failing to pay amounts owed. Under the False Claims Act’s whistleblower provisions, eligible individuals who come forward through the appropriate channels are entitled to monetary rewards when their reports lead to successful enforcement actions.”
“Individuals who have information about failure to pay customs duties and tariffs owed may also be able to come forward under one of the DOJ’s whistleblower programs,” says Dr. Oberheiden, “and these programs also include provisions for whistleblower awards in appropriate cases. Our attorneys can help prospective whistleblowers decide whether to come forward—and, if they decide to come forward, we can advise them as to how to proceed under the circumstances at hand.”
Whether a whistleblower decides to file a False Claims Act lawsuit (or “qui tam lawsuit”) on the government’s behalf or to file a complaint directly with the DOJ, Dr. Oberheiden says the firm will provide legal representation on a contingency-fee basis. “We do not charge any out-of-pocket fees or costs to whistleblowers,” he says. “If a customs, trade, or tariffs whistleblower receives a monetary award for coming forward, our legal fees will be calculated as a percentage of the award we negotiate on their behalf.”
Under the False Claims Act and the DOJ’s whistleblower programs, awards are calculated as a percentage of the government’s recovery—from 10% to 30% in most cases. These awards can be substantial, and Dr. Oberheiden says the firm’s attorneys are prepared to work with the government on behalf of their customs and tariffs whistleblower clients to help maximize their award eligibility.
“The DOJ and CBP are actively pursuing tariff and customs fraud investigations, and they are actively encouraging whistleblowers to come forward,” says Dr. Oberheiden. “We invite anyone who has (or believes they may have) information about a foreign exporter, domestic importer, customs broker, or any other party using false statements or fraudulent schemes to evade their financial responsibilities to contact Oberheiden P.C. for a free and confidential consultation.”
Nick Oberheiden, Founding Attorney, 888-680-1745 (Office)
Attorney Advertising – Oberheiden, P.C., is a whistleblower law firm headquartered in Houston, TX with a nationwide network of senior attorneys and consultants. The firm’s whistleblower lawyers are available to assist clients with exposing U.S. customs, trade, and tariff violations throughout the United States and worldwide. The firm’s addresses and contact information can be found at www.federal-lawyer.com/our-locations.
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