Contract Non-Compliance

October 21, 2021

Boulder, Colorado nonprofit The Center for Severe Weather Research paid $2.4 million to resolve allegations of fraud in federal grants received from the National Science Foundation, NASA, and NOAA.  CSWR was alleged to have improperly requested drawdowns from federal grants for expenses it had not incurred, and to have improperly retained interest accrued on federal funds received but not yet needed.  In addition, two CSWR principles, Ling Chan and Joshua Wurman, agreed to pay $203,776 to resolve allegations that they improperly obtained payments for ineligible expenses, including rental payment for CSWR offices in their personal residence.  USAO CO

September 27, 2021

Oklahoma-based Devon Energy Corporation and its affiliates, Devon Energy Corp. and Devon Energy Production Company, LP (collectively, “Devon”) have agreed to pay $6.15 million to resolve allegations under the False Claims Act.  As a lessee of federal land, the oil and natural gas exploration and production company was required to pay royalties on gas found and produced on that land, as well as put the gas in marketable condition on its own dime.  According to the allegations, however, Devon underreported and underpaid royalties to the Department of the Interior by improperly deducting payments made to third-parties, including payments made to put the gas in marketable condition.  USAO CO

September 10, 2021

Defense contractors Southeastern Equipment Co., Inc. and SECO Parts and Equipment Co. have agreed to pay $900,000 to resolve allegations that they knowingly billed for and provided equipment that was not in compliance with the Buy American Act or the rules of the U.S. Army’s Simplified Nonstandard Acquisition Program.  The government’s investigation was initiated by a the filing of a whistleblower suit under the False Claims Act.  USAO SD Ga

July 14, 2021

Diesel Direct, LLC of Stoughton, Massachusetts will pay $850,000 to resolve claims brought in a qui tam action alleging that the company knowingly delivered nonconforming petroleum diesel fuel to state agencies while charging for a higher-priced and more environmentally-friendly biodiesel fuel; improperly charged state agencies a federal fuel excise tax; and failed to comply with the state's Supplier Diversity Program requiring spending with women-owned, minority-owned, and veteran-owned businesses. Mass

July 6, 2021

Defense contractor AAR Corp. and its subsidiary, AAR Airlift Group Inc., have agreed to pay $11 million to resolve allegations of knowingly failing to maintain U.S. military aircrafts in accordance with U.S. Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) contracts.  The alleged False Claims Act violations involved nine helicopters that were deemed not airworthy and not mission capable as a result of the failures.  A former Airlift employee who filed the underlying qui tam complaint, Christopher Harvey, will receive over $2 million as part of the settlement.  USAO SDIL

June 16, 2021

Bedrock Group LLC agreed to pay $3.5 million to Massachusetts to resolve allegations that the company violated the Massachusetts False Claims Act by failing to fully and timely refund the state following the company's failure to deliver one million N95 masks ordered by the state.  Massachusetts placed an emergency purchase order with the company, agreeing to pay $3.6 million for the one million masks, which were to be delivered by April, 2020.  The company delivered fewer than 100,000 masks and, after the state cancelled the purchase order, failed to refund the state's payment. Bedrock also agreed to a voluntary debarment from contracting with the state or any political subdivision for five years.   MA