And Yet Another Whistleblower-Originated Customs Fraud Case -- Ceratizit Pays $54.4M in Largest-Ever False Claims Act Settlement

By the Constantine Cannon Whistleblower Team Last Thursday (December 18), the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that North Carolina-based Ceratizit USA agreed to pay $54.4 million to settle allegations it violated the False Claims Act by failing to pay duties it owed Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on the products it imported from China.[1]  It is just the latest in a string of customs fraud settlements this year, but the...

Harman International Pays $11.8M for Evading Customs Duties -- DOJ's Latest False Claims Act Customs Fraud Settlement

By the Constantine Cannon Whistleblower Team Last Wednesday (November 26), the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Harman International Industries, Inc. -- a leading audio electronics company for automakers -- agreed to pay roughly $11.8 million to settle allegations it violated the False Claims Act by evading antidumping and countervailing duties on aluminum goods from China.[1]  It is just the latest in a string of customs fraud cases the DOJ has...

DOJ Triples Down on Crusade Against Customs Fraud -- Calling All Whistleblowers

By the Constantine Cannon Whistleblower Team DOJ Launches Cross-Agency Task Force with DHS Last Friday (August 29), the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched what it describes as “a cross-agency Trade Fraud Task Force to bring robust enforcement against importers and other parties who seek to defraud the United States.”1 More specifically, DOJ is partnering with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to “aggressively pursue” evading tariffs and other customs duties, and...

DOJ Continues Crusade Against Customs Fraud With $12.4M False Claims Act Settlement Against Allied Stone

By the Constantine Cannon Whistleblower Team The Latest Customs Fraud False Claims Act Case Last Tuesday (August 19), Dallas-based countertop and cabinetry supplier Allied Stone Inc. (and its president Jia Lim) agreed to pay $12.4 million to settle Department of Justice (DOJ) charges of violating the False Claims Act by evading customs duties on quartz surface products from China.1 It is just the latest in a recent string of customs...

DOJ Settles Two False Claims Act Customs Cases, Reinforcing That Customs Fraud Remains a Top Enforcement Priority

By the Constantine Cannon Whistleblower Team Last week, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the settlement of two False Claims Act cases involving customs fraud. DOJ Goes After Intentional Avoidance of Customs, Antidumping, and Countervailing Duties On July 23, MGI International subsidiaries Global Plastics and Marco Polo International agreed to pay $6.8 million to settle DOJ charges that they failed to pay customs duties on plastic resin imported from China. 1 ...

Customs Fraud

Blowing the Whistle on Customs Fraud and International Trade Violations Customs fraud exposes U.S. companies to unfair competition and deprives the government of significant revenue. The federal government has made customs fraud an enforcement priority, but such fraud can be very hard to catch without information from insiders and others with knowledge of customs fraud schemes. Anyone, anywhere in the world, with information about customs fraud can blow the whistle...

Centric Parts - Customs Fraud ($8 million)

Constantine Cannon represented a whistleblower in a False Claims Act case alleging auto parts distributor Centric Parts misclassified brake pads imported from Asia to avoid millions of dollars of customs duties.  In July 2020, the company agreed to pay $8 million to settle the matter.  Our client (along with a second whistleblower) received a whistleblower award of 18.5% of the government's recovery.  Read more -- DOJ, CC.

Constantine Cannon Client Slams the Brakes on Customs Fraud in $8 Million Settlement Against Auto Parts Distributor Centric Parts

Steve Hughes, a whistleblower represented by Constantine Cannon, slammed the brakes on a long-running scheme by his former employer to evade customs duties, resulting in an $8 million settlement of the whistleblower’s False Claims Act lawsuit against CWD, LLC. The Carson, CA-based company, which does business as Centric Parts, is one of the largest aftermarket brake and chassis parts distributors in North America. The settlement resolves allegations that Centric misclassified...

Auto Parts Distributor Centric Parts Settles Customs Fraud Whistleblower Lawsuits for $8 Million

Constantine Cannon is pleased to announce an $8 million settlement on behalf of its whistleblower client in a False Claims Act lawsuit against CWD, LLC. The Carson, CA-based company, which does business as Centric Parts, is one of the largest aftermarket brake and chassis parts distributors in North America. The qui tam suit alleges that Centric misclassified brake pads imported from Asia to avoid tariffs, and concealed the decade-long misconduct...

Pure Collection - Customs Fraud ($908,100)

Constantine Cannon represented a whistleblower in a False Claims Act case alleging Pure Collection avoided paying U.S. customs duties on its goods shipped from the United Kingdom. In February 2018, the company agreed to pay $908,100 to settle the matter.  Our client received a whistleblower award of 18% of the government's recovery.  Read more -- Financial Times, DOJ, PR Newswire, CC.