In the spring of 2018, the Charity & Security Network learned of several lawsuits filed in U.S. courts against nonprofit organizations that receive USAID funding. Using a law meant to combat fraud against the federal government by providing incentives for private citizens to act as whistleblowers (the False Claims Act), the Zionist Advocacy Center (TZAC) has alleged that three groups violated the anti-terrorist certification in their grant agreements with USAID by providing “material support” to groups on the terrorist lists. In two of these cases, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) joined the lawsuits, which were settled without trial. The third, against the Carter Center, was dismissed at the request of DOJ. TZAC says it has filed two additional cases against international NGOs. They are currently under seal.
Featured Resources
False Claims Act Suits Against NGOs: Webinar On What Nonprofits Need to Know
The Charity & Security Network will host a special online briefing for nonprofit organizations (NPOs) on use of the False Claims Act, a law meant to protect whistleblowers, to sue NPOs working in Palestine and other complex environments.
Intimidation Campaign Using False Claims Act and IRS to Push Problematic Enforcement Policy on NGOs
This spring our monitoring picked up a surprising story. Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) had agreed to pay over $2 million to the U.S. government for allegedly providing material support to listed terrorist groups, in violation
Suit Alleging Carter Center Provided Material Support Dismissed
On May 31, 2018 the U.S. District Court in Washington, DC granted the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) motion to dismiss a whistleblower lawsuit against the Carter Center. The case, filed by The Zionist Advocacy Center (TZAC), alleged the Carter
DOJ Asks Court to Dismiss Whistleblower Case Accusing the Carter Center of Material Support
On May 31 a federal court will hear arguments on whether a complaint brought against the Carter Center by the Zionist Advocacy Center (TZAC), which alleges that hosting conflict resolution meetings attended by Hamas
Norwegian People’s Aid Settles Enforcement Case Over Democracy Building and Mine Removal Projects US Says Were Material Support
Norwegian People’s Aid, (NPA) signed an agreement with the United States Government on March 28, 2018 settling a federal lawsuit alleging that two of its projects - democracy training for youth in Gaza and