Archive

June 5, 2015

Former DC Public Schools employee Jeffrey Mills will receive a yet-to-be-determined whistleblower award from the $19.4 million paid by Chartwells, a division of Compass Group USA, Inc. and Thompson Hospitality Services LLC to settle charges the company violated the False Claims Act by overcharging DC public schools in connection with its school lunch program contracts. DC

Tagged in: FCA Federal, Government Procurement Fraud, Whistleblower Case, Whistleblower Rewards,

April 2, 2015

Medical device maker Medtronic plc and affiliated Medtronic companies,Medtronic Inc., Medtronic USA Inc., and Medtronic Sofamor Danek USA Inc., agreed to pay $4.41 million to resolve allegations they violated the False Claims Act by making false statements to the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense regarding the country of origin of certain Medtronic products sold to the US. Specifically, the government charged Medtronic with selling to the VA and DoD products it certified would be made in the US or other designated countries when in fact they were manufactured in China and Malaysia, which are prohibited countries under the Trade Agreements Act of 1979. The allegations were first raised in a whistleblower lawsuit filed by three unidentified whistleblowers under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act. They will receive a whistleblower award of $749,700. Whistleblower Insider

Tagged in: FCA Federal, Medical Devices and DME, Other Government Health Programs, Trade Agreements, Whistleblower Case, Whistleblower Rewards,

January 14, 2015

Office Depot agreed to pay $68.5M to settle charges in violated the California False Claims Act by allegedly overcharging more than 1,000 cities, counties, school districts and other government entities in California for office supplies. According to the government, Office Depot was required to but did not provide these government entities the lowest prices it was offering other government purchasers. The allegations originated with a whistleblower lawsuit filed by former Office Depot employee David Sherwin. Corporate Crime Reporter

Tagged in: FCA State, Government Procurement Fraud, Pricing Fraud, Whistleblower Case,

December 8, 2014

Supreme Foodservice pleaded guilty and paid $288 million for overcharging the government on a contract to provide food and water to the U.S. troops in Afghanistan. In addition, Supreme Group B.V. and several of its subsidiaries agreed to pay an additional $146 million to resolve a related civil lawsuit alleging false billings to the Department of Defense for fuel and transporting cargo to American soldiers in Afghanistan. Michael Epp, former Director, Commercial Division and Supply Chain for Supreme Group, will receive a whistleblower award of $16.2 million. DOJ

Tagged in: Defense Contract Fraud, FCA Federal, Whistleblower Case, Whistleblower Rewards,

November 13, 2014

California joined a whistle-blower lawsuit against BP alleging the company overcharged the state by as much as $300M for natural gas for almost a decade. The case was unsealed today in San Francisco state court. The state and two of its university systems are pursuing the case along with a whistleblower, former BP employee Christopher Schroen. Bloomberg

Tagged in: FCA State, Government Decision, Government Procurement Fraud, Whistleblower Case,

October 10, 2014

Boeing entered in to a settlement that resolved allegations the aircraft maker improperly charged for labor costs under contracts with the U.S. Air Force for the maintenance and repair of C-17 Globemaster aircraft, one of the military’s major systems for transporting troops and cargo throughout the world. Specifically, the government charged Boeing with intentionally billing the Air Force for a variety of labor costs in violation of applicable contract requirements, including for time its mechanics spent at meetings not directly related to the contracts. Boeing agreed to pay $23 million to resolve the matter. The settlement resolves allegations originally brought in a whistleblower lawsuit brought by present and former Boeing employees Clinton Craddock, Fred Van Shoubrouek, Anthony Rico and Fernando de la Garza. They will receive a combined whistleblower award of $3.9 million. DOJ

Tagged in: Defense Contract Fraud, Falsifying Invoices, FCA Federal, Whistleblower Case, Whistleblower Rewards,

April 9, 2014

Five California-based masonry subcontractors, Frazier Masonry, F-Y Inc., CTI Concrete & Masonry, Masonry Technology, and Masonry Works, agreed to pay nearly $1.9M to resolve allegations they violated the False Claims Act by misrepresenting their disadvantaged small business status in connection with military construction contracts. The allegations were first raised in a qui tam lawsuit filed by Rickey Howard, a former employee of Frazier Masonry, under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Howard will receive a whistleblower award of $393,383. DOJ

Tagged in: Defense Contract Fraud, FCA Federal, Set-Asides and Preferences, Whistleblower Case, Whistleblower Rewards,

March 21, 2014

Utah-based Okland Construction Co. agreed to pay $928,000 to resolve allegations it made false statements and submitted false claims under the Small Business Administration’s Section 8(a) Program for Small and Disadvantaged Businesses. The allegations were first raised in a qui tam lawsuit filed by Section 8(a) participant Saiz Construction Co. and its owner Abel Saiz under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. They will receive a whistleblower award of $148,480. DOJ

Tagged in: FCA Federal, Financial and Investment Fraud, Set-Asides and Preferences, Whistleblower Case, Whistleblower Rewards,

March 7, 2014

Ocean shipping companies Sea Star Line and Horizon Lines agreed to pay $1.9M and $1.5M, respectively, to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by fixing the price of government cargo transportation contracts between the continental US and Puerto Rico, the Department of Justice announced today. The allegations were first raised in a qui tam lawsuit filed by former Sea Star Line executive William B. Stallings under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. He will receive a whistleblower award of $512,719. DOJ

Tagged in: FCA Federal, Government Procurement Fraud, Whistleblower Case, Whistleblower Rewards,

August 6, 2013

Larry Lehmann has agreed to pay $400,000 to settle allegations that he violated the False Claims Act in connection with the Federal Communications Commission’s E-rate Program. The E-rate Program subsidizes eligible equipment and services to make Internet access and internal networking more affordable for public schools and libraries. The allegations were first raised in a qui tam lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. DOJ

Tagged in: FCA Federal, Government Procurement Fraud,

Contact

Click here for a confidential contact or call: