The Star Tribune reports that yesterday a Los Angeles jury awarded $2.7 million in compensatory damages and $22 million in punitive damages in an wrongful termination suit against Minnesota-based Cardiovascular Systems, Inc., a medical device manufacturer.

The plaintiff, who worked as a regional sales manager for the defendant, claimed the company fired him for informing management of an illegal kickback scheme in which sales reps were bribing doctors to use the company’s products.  The article says the company plans to appeal