Whether you are considering blowing the whistle on a private or public company, a healthcare provider, a government contractor, an agency, or an official, it’s vital to consult a whistleblower attorney before taking action. At Hilder & Associates, P.C., our attorneys represent whistleblowers who demonstrate similar courage in exposing fraud and misconduct today.
The examples of whistleblowers below put their careers, reputations, and even personal safety on the line to expose hidden misconduct. These famous whistleblowers had the courage that led to investigations, reforms, and safeguards that protected countless individuals from harm.
Daniel Ellsberg
In 1971, Daniel Ellsberg changed American history by leaking the Pentagon Papers to The New York Times. As a RAND Corporation analyst, he exposed that multiple administrations had misled the public about the Vietnam War while continuing to send troops into unwinnable combat.
The White House Plumbers broke into Ellsberg’s psychiatrist’s office to discredit him, and he was initially charged with espionage and theft under the Espionage Act of 1917. All charges were later dropped when it was revealed that the evidence had been obtained illegally.
John N. Mitchell
John N. Mitchell served as Attorney General under President Richard Nixon and later became chairman of Nixon’s 1972 reelection campaign. While Mitchell himself was not a whistleblower, his case represents one of the most significant outcomes of whistleblower activity in American political history.
The information provided by W. Mark Felt and testimony from other insiders led to Mitchell’s conviction for conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and perjury related to the Watergate break-in and cover-up. He became the first former Attorney General in U.S. history to serve prison time. Mitchell’s downfall demonstrated that whistleblower revelations could hold even the highest government officials accountable for criminal conduct.
W. Mark Felt
Known for decades only as “Deep Throat,” W. Mark Felt served as the anonymous source who helped Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein uncover the Watergate scandal. As Associate Director of the FBI, Felt possessed inside knowledge about the Nixon administration’s involvement in the break-in at Democratic National Committee headquarters. His secret meetings with Woodward in a parking garage provided guidance that kept the investigation moving forward.
Karen Silkwood
Karen Silkwood worked as a chemical technician at the Kerr-McGee plutonium processing plant in Oklahoma during the 1970s. She discovered serious safety violations and evidence that the company had falsified quality-control records for nuclear fuel rods. Silkwood began collecting documents to share with the Atomic Energy Commission and a New York Times reporter. She died in a mysterious car accident in November 1974 while traveling to meet with a journalist.
Jeffrey Wigand
Jeffrey Wigand exposed the tobacco industry’s deliberate manipulation of cigarettes to increase nicotine addiction. As Brown & Williamson’s R&D head, he revealed that executives knew the health risks while publicly denying them. His 1996 60 Minutes interview helped spark the landmark tobacco settlement and reshape public health policy, despite facing intense personal attacks and legal threats.
Sherron Watkins
Sherron Watkins alerted Enron executives to accounting fraud months before the company’s 2001 collapse. As vice president, she warned CEO Kenneth Lay about schemes hiding billions in debt. However, her concerns were ignored. Enron’s bankruptcy became the largest corporate failure of its time, and Time named Watkins a Person of the Year for her efforts.
Cynthia Cooper
Cynthia Cooper led the internal audit team at WorldCom that discovered $3.8 billion in fraudulent accounting entries. Her investigation revealed that executives had manipulated financial statements to inflate earnings and deceive investors.
Cooper reported her findings to the company’s board of directors in 2002, triggering the largest bankruptcy filing in U.S. history. Her courage inspired provisions in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act that now protect corporate whistleblowers.
Edward Snowden
In 2013, computer professional Edward Snowden carried out the largest intelligence leak in NSA history by releasing classified information without authorization. His disclosures exposed numerous global surveillance programs, many operated by the NSA and an international network of intelligence agencies, often with the cooperation of major telecommunications companies.
Snowden stated he could not allow the U.S. government to “destroy privacy, Internet freedom, and basic liberties.” Soon after the leaks, the U.S. Department of Justice charged him with two counts under the Espionage Act of 1917 and theft of government property.
Reality Winner
Reality Winner leaked a classified NSA report about Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. The Air Force veteran and intelligence contractor provided The Intercept with a document describing Russian attempts to hack voting software companies. She received a five-year prison sentence, one of the longest ever imposed for unauthorized disclosure of government information.
Frances Haugen
Frances Haugen testified before Congress in 2021 about Facebook’s internal research showing that Instagram harmed teenage mental health. The former product manager collected thousands of internal documents demonstrating that company leaders prioritized profits over user safety. Her revelations prompted congressional hearings and renewed calls for social media regulation.
Consult a Whistleblower Lawyer Now
If you have witnessed fraud, corruption, or illegal activity within your organization, we understand whistleblower protections and have a proven track record of success in handling these claims. Contact Hilder & Associates, P.C. at (713) 234-1416 to schedule a free and confidential consultation with one of our experienced whistleblower attorneys.
