WAYCROSS, Ga. (Legal Newsline) – The federal government alleges several individuals filed false claims under the federal crop insurance program.
United States of America recently filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia, Waycross Division against Julian Rigby, Jasper Allen, Benjamin Swain, Alma Brightleaf Blueberry Farms Inc., Julian Rigby Inc., Georgia-Florida Tobacco Exchange Inc. and Heritage Tobacco Inc. citing the False Claims Act and other counts.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that beginning in crop year 2008 through crop year 2010, it has suffered damages for paying defendants' higher insurance claims under the Multi-Peril Crop Insurance program.
The plaintiff holds Rigby, Allen, Swain, Alma Brightleaf Blueberry Farms Inc., Julian Rigby Inc., Georgia-Florida Tobacco Exchange Inc. and Heritage Tobacco Inc. responsible because the defendants allegedly devised a scheme to improperly obtain money from the federal crop insurance program in excess of what they were entitled and submitted false claims through the federal crop insurance program to ensure payment.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks judgment in its favor for statutory damages, disgorgement of illegal profits, and for all other and further relief as the court may deem just and proper. It is represented by assistant U.S. attorneys J. Thomas Clarkson and Charles W. Mulaney.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia, Waycross Division Case number 5:16-cv-00053