Financial Crimes and Fashion
Posted 02/9/18
Presenter; Federal Bar Association's 5th Annual Fashion Law Conference, New York City (February 9, 2018).
Customs Fraud
This archive displays posts tagged as relevant to fraud in customs and tariffs. You may also be interested in the following pages:
Constantine Cannon Partner Mary Inman Will Be a Guest Speaker for the Federal Bar Association's 2018 Fashion Law Conference
Posted 01/24/18
By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team
On Friday, February 9, at 1:30 PM Eastern, Partner Mary Inman will be speaking as a special guest at the Federal Bar Association’s Fashion Law Conference in New York City. Ms. Inman will speak about how whistleblowers have exposed retailers' schemes to evade customs duties and other financial frauds. Click the here for more and to register for the event!
January 16, 2018
Virginia-based home furnishings company Bassett Mirror Company agreed to pay $10.5 million to resolve allegations it violated the False Claims Act by knowingly making false statements on customs declarations to avoid paying antidumping duties on wooden bedroom furniture imported from China. According to the government, Bassett Mirror evaded antidumping duties owed on wooden bedroom furniture imported from China by misclassifying the furniture as non-bedroom furniture which at the time of the alleged conduct was not subject to an antidumping duty. The allegations originated in a whistleblower lawsuit filed under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act by Kelly Wells, an Alabama merchant who sells furniture on line. Ms. Wells will receive a whistleblower award of roughly $1.9 million from the proceeds of the government's recovery. DOJJanuary 11, 2018
Textile importer American Dawn, Inc. and its executives Habib Rawjee, Mahmud Rawjee, and Adnan Rawjee, agreed to pay roughly $2.3 million to resolve allegations of violating the False Claims Act by intentionally misclassifying certain textiles such as bath and shop towels imported into the United States in order to pay lower tariff rates. The allegations originated in a whistleblower lawsuit filed under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act by a former employee of American Dawn. The whistleblower will receive an award of roughly $400,000 from the proceeds of the government's recovery. DOJ (NDGA)Bassett Mirror Company Will Pay $10.5M to Settle Whistleblower’s Customs Duties FCA Allegations
Posted 01/17/18
By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team
Bassett Mirror Company, a Virginia-based home furnishings company, has agreed to pay the United States $10.5 million to resolve allegations it evaded antidumping duties on wooden bedroom furniture imported from the People’s Republic of China over a five year period. Antidumping duties level the playing field for U.S. companies by protecting against foreign companies...
October 3, 2017
Pennsylvania garment wholesaler Notations, Inc. agreed to pay $1 million to settle charges of violating the False Claims Act by repeatedly ignoring warning signs that its business partners, Yingshun Garments Inc., Import Global Designs Inc., and Olgrem LLC, which imported garments from China, were engaged in a fraudulent double-invoicing scheme to underpay customs duties owed on the imported garments they sold to Notations. The allegations originated in a whistleblower lawsuit filed under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act. The whistleblower, Xing Wei, will receive an award from the proceeds of the government's recovery. DOJ (SDNY)September 8, 2017
U.S. Government Joins Case Brought By U.K. Whistleblower against British Retailer for Customs Fraud. Click here to read the Press Release.U.S. Government Joins Constantine Cannon Case Brought By U.K. Whistleblower against British Retailer for Customs Fraud
Posted 09/8/17
By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team
Constantine Cannon LLP is pleased to announce that the U.S. Government has intervened in its client's whistleblower case against Pure Collection Ltd., a Harrogate, England-based e-retailer of luxury cashmere and apparel. The Government also brought claims against Pure's current acting CEO, Samantha Harrison. The whistleblower lawsuit, among one of the first whistleblower cases...
May 1, 2017
Texas-based importer Import Merchandising Concepts L.P. agreed to pay $275,000 to resolve allegations it improperly evaded customs duties on imports of wooden bedroom furniture from China by misclassifying the furniture as non-bedroom furniture, which is not subject to any antidumping duties. DOJDOJ Catch of the Week -- Import Merchandising Concepts
Posted 05/5/17
By the C|C Whistleblower Lawyer Team
This week's Department of Justice "Catch of the Week" goes to Import Merchandising Concepts L.P. On Monday, the Texas-based importer (and two affiliated individuals) agreed to pay $275,000 to settle charges of violating the False Claims Act by evading customs duties on imports of wooden bedroom furniture from China. The company imports, among other things, bedroom furniture...