Certifications Archives - Page 2 of 4

February 6, 2020

February 6, 2020 -- The successor to the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles, CRA/LA, has agreed to pay $3.1 million to resolve allegations under the False Claims Act that the agency failed to comply with federal accessibility laws while distributing federal funds to help develop affordable housing. Federal accessibility laws require that 5% of all units in certain federally-funded housing be accessible to people with mobility issues, and an additional 2% of all units be accessible for people with visual or auditory impairments. However, according to whistleblower and wheelchair user Mei Ling, at least nine agency-affiliated properties lacked accessible parking spaces, appropriate ramp and height access for wheelchair users, or appropriate visual and tactile signs for people with visual or auditory impairments. DOJ; USAO CDCA

Tagged in: Certifications, Defendants, FCA Federal, Government Programs Fraud, Whistleblower Case,

January 27, 2020

Florida Academy, a for-profit trade school, has agreed to pay $512,500 to the United States for making false certifications to the Department of Veterans Affairs (the VA) regarding its compliance with a Post-9/11 GI Bill program requirement called the 85%-15% Rule. To ensure the VA is paying tuition rates at fair market value, the 85%-15% Rule requires participating schools to certify that at least 15% of their students are paying with private funds. USAO MDFL

Tagged in: Certifications, Education Fraud, Government Programs Fraud,

January 6, 2020

NASA contractor United Paradyne Corporation has agreed to pay $375,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by a former employee, Steven Walker, which alleged the company violated the False Claims Act by submitting claims for work it failed to perform. According to the settlement agreement, United Paradyne had agreed to fabricate ground support equipment to NASA's Space Launch System (SLS), but failed to maintain certain cleanliness standards and falsely certified to having conformed to NASA's contractual requirements. For his role exposing the fraud, Walker will receive $75,000. USAO MDFL

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

December 30, 2019

A defense contractor accused of submitting false claims on a contract with the U.S. Army has agreed to pay $3 million to resolve its liability. Kansas-based LaForge & Budd Construction Company, Inc., had been tasked with raising the elevation of a dam at the Fort Sill Army Post in Oklahoma. Although the contract specified that satisfactory fill be used, LaForge defied this by using materials such as pieces of concrete, rebar, and rubble, and then represented to the Army that it had fully complied with the contract's terms and conditions. USAO WDOK

Tagged in: Certifications, FCA Federal, Healthcare Fraud, Medical Billing Fraud, Medicare,

Unitrans International Inc., Anham FZCO, et al. — Government Contract Fraud ($45 million)

Our attorneys represented Rory Maxwell, John Bush, and Supreme Foodservice GmbH in a qui tam action under the False Claims Act against Unitrans International Inc., a privately held Virginia defense contracting company, and Anham FZCO, an associated Dubai Free Zone company, for making false certifications of compliance with the U.S. sanctions regime against Iran to induce the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency and the U.S. Army to award Anham wartime contracts to provide food and transportation to U.S. troops. Our whistleblower clients also alleged Anham knowingly and falsely represented construction progress on its Bagram warehouse in related bid proposals to the government. In December 2019, Unitrans agreed to pay $45 million to resolve criminal and civil allegations related to this alleged misconduct, which includes $27 million to resolve our whistleblower clients’ False Claims Act allegations. Read more about the case at the Department of Justice website here and in The Washington Post here.

Tagged in: Certifications, Contract Non-Compliance, Criminal Proceedings, Defense Contract Fraud, FCA Federal, Government Procurement Fraud, Trade Agreements, Whistleblower Rewards,

December 4, 2019

A subcontractor providing logistical services on a U.S. Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) contract with Anham FZCO has agreed to pay $45 million to resolve criminal obstruction charges and civil False Claims Act allegations. Anham and Unitrans International Inc. had been accused of failing to comply with contract provisions prohibiting materials used to support U.S. troops in Afghanistan from passing through Iran. Based on a qui tam suit by whistleblowers Rory Maxwell, John Bush, and Supreme Foodservice GmbH, the two contractors also fraudulently induced contracts with DLA and the Army by falsely certifying compliance with the Iran sanctions and falsely representing the status of another project. DOJ

Tagged in: Certifications, Contract Non-Compliance, Defense Contract Fraud, FCA Federal, Government Procurement Fraud, Whistleblower Case,

December 3, 2019

Weapons manufacturer Capco, LLC has agreed to pay over $1 million to resolve fraud allegations raised by its former quality engineer, James Cole. According to Cole, from 2016 to 2018, the company knowingly certified that M320 grenade launchers sold to the U.S. Army were manufactured in compliance with contract specifications, when in fact a critical component had been manufactured using the wrong type of steel. Capco also failed to disclose the issue despite conducting an internal investigation. For bringing the issue to light, Cole will receive approximately $235,000 of the recovery. USAO CO

Tagged in: Certifications, Contract Non-Compliance, Defense Contract Fraud, FCA Federal, Government Procurement Fraud, Whistleblower Case, Whistleblower Rewards,

August 8, 2019

Ambu, Inc. has agreed to pay $3.3 million to resolve its liability under the False Claims Act in connection with allegations that it knowingly sold the government medical supplies that were not in compliance with the Trade Agreements Act (TAA). Although the TAA only permits government purchases of products from countries with whom the U.S. has a trade agreement, Ambu allegedly sold products from China and Malaysia and falsely certified that they came from compliant countries. USAO EDPA

Tagged in: Certifications, FCA Federal, Government Procurement Fraud,

August 5, 2019

Nagan Construction, Inc. of New York has agreed to pay $435,000 to resolve a civil fraud suit filed by an unnamed whistleblower, alleging that Nagan underpaid 20 employees working on two projects for the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and the Department of Labor. Nagan also allegedly violated the False Claims Act and the Davis-Bacon Act by misclassifying the skilled workers as unskilled workers in required certifications to the government. As part of the settlement, $242,376 will be distributed to current and former employees. USAO SDNY

Tagged in: Certifications, Contract Non-Compliance, Employment Issues, FCA Federal, Government Procurement Fraud, Whistleblower Case,

June 19, 2019

Memphis Goodwill Industries has agreed to pay $150,000 for allegedly making false certifications to the federal government in order to qualify for contracts administered by the AbilityOne Commission, which helps create job opportunities for disabled individuals. Federal regulations required AbilityOne contractors like Goodwill to employ disabled individuals for 75% of its direct labor hours and submit annual certifications attesting to that fact. Despite submitting certifications attesting to the 75%, Goodwill was found to allegedly employ disabled individuals for far fewer hours. USAO WDTN

Tagged in: Certifications, Contract Non-Compliance, FCA Federal, Government Programs Fraud,

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