WASHINGTON, D.C. (Legal Newsline) - A defense contractor has agreed to pay a $4.63 million settlement after allegations that they were overcharging for labor hours charged for independent contractors at military Continental U.S. Replacement Centers (CRC), announced the Department of Justice.
The settlement is with L-3 Communications, who provided maintenance and support services between 2006 and 2011 at CRCs located in Fort Benning, Ga. and Fort Bliss, Texas.
“Contractors owe a duty to the taxpayers to accurately bill the United States for the actual work performed,” said U.S. Attorney John Horn of the Northern District of Georgia. “This settlement demonstrates our commitment to hold contractors accountable for false billing and restore wrongfully taken funds to the military.”
Allegations that the company overcharged the government for services provided were brought to light by a lawsuit filed by a whistleblower, Robert Martin, a former employee of the company.
“The Justice Department is committed to vigorously pursuing all those who knowingly submit false claims under government contracts,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Contractors that seek taxpayer funds must be scrupulous in their billing, and invoice only for work and amounts permitted by their contracts.”