November 27, 2018

In New York, Bottini Fuel pleaded guilty to unlawfully retaining overpayments made by fuel oil customers, including public entity customers.  Rather than inform customers that they had made overpayments, or refund those payments, Bottini admitted that it diverted the customers’ credit balances to the personal accounts of company owners, employees, and other friends and family.  Bottini agreed to pay over $3.2 million in restitution and civil damages.  The investigation was initiated by the filing of a whistleblower complaint under the New York False Claims Act; the unnamed whistleblower will receive $491,358 of the settlement.  NY AG

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