Jeffrey Wigand exposed safety problems related to the tobacco industry. Wigand blew the whistle on the tobacco industry’s manipulation of nicotine. Brown & Williamson sued Dr. Wigand because of his public disclosures about the industry’s efforts to minimize the health and safety issue of tobacco use.
Where is Dr Jeffrey Wigand now?
After his landmark disclosures, Dr. Wigand briefly taught chemistry and Japanese at duPont Manuel Magnet High School in Louisville, Kentucky and was named 1996 Teacher of the Year for the state of Kentucky. Dr. Wigand now is a lecturer, expert witness, and consultant on tobacco-related issues.
How much did Jeffrey Wigand make?
The appeal was seductive for a man who prided himself on his research skills, and Wigand’s title would be impressive: head of R&D. He would soon be paid more than he had ever earned in his life—$300,000 a year.
Is Jeffrey Wigand married?
Hope May
Jeffrey Wigand/Spouse
Is Jeffrey Wigand a whistleblower?
The 1999 film The Insider portrayed him and the story. He currently lectures around the world as an expert witness and consultant for various tobacco issues….
| Jeffrey Wigand | |
|---|---|
| Known for | Whistleblower on the tobacco industry |
| Spouse(s) | Hope Elizabeth May |
| Website | JeffreyWigand.com |
When was Jeffrey Wigand fired?
March 1993
Jeffrey Wigand had been a vice president of research at Brown & Williamson since 1989. He originally had been hired to work on the development of a safer cigarette. But the project was dropped and in March 1993 Wigand was fired.
What does whistleblower mean?
A whistleblower (also written as whistle-blower or whistle blower) is a person, usually an employee, who exposes information or activity within a private, public, or government organization that is deemed illegal, illicit, unsafe, or a waste, fraud, or abuse of taxpayer funds.
When did Jeffrey Wigand testify?
Wigand. The November 29, 1995 testimony was given in a lawsuit brought by the State of Mississippi seeking reimbursement for the cost of smoking-related illnesses.
Are whistleblowers good or bad?
When a whistleblower comes forward and provides key information about wrongdoing they can recover a great deal of money on behalf of the government, they can stop wrongful practices, and they can improve all many lives. That is one of the main reasons why whistleblowers suffer bad reputations.
Do whistleblowers get paid?
The whistleblower may receive a reward of 10 percent to 30 percent of what the government recovers, if the SEC recovers more than $1 million. The SEC may increase the whistleblower award based on many factors, such as: How important the information that the whistleblower provided was to the enforcement action.
Who was the whistleblower for Brown and Williamson?
Its former vice-president of research and development, Jeffrey Wigand, was the whistleblower in an investigation conducted by CBS news program 60 Minutes, an event that was dramatized in the film The Insider. Wigand claimed that B&W had introduced chemicals such as ammonia into cigarettes to increase nicotine delivery and increase addictiveness.
How did Jeffrey Wigand become known as a whistleblower?
Tobacco industry whistleblowing Wigand became nationally known as a whistleblower on February 4, 1996, when he appeared on the CBS news program 60 Minutes and stated that Brown & Williamson had intentionally manipulated its tobacco blend with chemicals such as ammonia to increase the effect of nicotine in cigarette smoke.
Why was Jeffrey Wigand fired from Brown and Williamson?
Wigand had begun to work for Brown & Williamson in January 1989 and was fired on March 24, 1993. He says that he was fired as a whistleblower because he knew that high-ranking corporate executives knowingly approved the addition of additives to their cigarettes that were known to be carcinogenic and/or addictive, such as coumarin.
Who was Jeffrey Wigand and what did he do?
Jeffrey Stephen Wigand (/ ˈwaɪɡænd /; born December 17, 1942) is an American biochemist and former vice president of research and development at Brown & Williamson in Louisville, Kentucky, who worked on the development of reduced-harm cigarettes and in 1996 blew the whistle on tobacco tampering at the company.
