December 22, 2016

December 22, 2016 — California-based Total Call Mobile, LLC agreed to pay $30 million for defrauding the Lifeline Program, a federal government subsidy program that offers discounted mobile phone services to eligible low-income consumers.  According to the government, Total Call and its co-defendant Locus Telecommunications, LLC, and their shared corporate parent KDDI America, Inc., knowingly submitted false claims for federal payments by seeking reimbursement for consumers who did not meet Lifeline eligibility requirements.  As part of the settlement, Total Call admitted and accepted responsibility for the alleged misconduct, including seeking reimbursement for tens of thousands of ineligible consumers.  The allegations originated in a whistleblower lawsuit filed under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act.  The whistleblower will receive a yet-to-be-determined whistleblower award from the proceeds of the government’s recovery.  DOJ (SDNY)

Tagged in: FCA Federal, Whistleblower Case, Whistleblower Rewards,