Program Fraud Civil Remedies Act (PFCRA)
The Program Fraud Civil Remedies Act of 1986 (PFCRA) is a statute that provides an administrative remedy to executive branch agencies related to false, fictitious, or fraudulent claims and statements where an alleged liability is less than $150,000. Often eschewed in favor of other statutes, the PFCRA is nevertheless, a formidable weapon in the government's arsenal as it provides for penalties up to $5,000 per claim, and an additional assessment of up to two times the amount of the fraudulent claim. This provision can be leveraged in conjunction with other proceedings, such as the False Claims Act, or suspension and debarment actions. The GAO provides a summary (below) of a typical administrative process using the PFCRA.
