Just days after the anniversary of its launch, the Department of Justice’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force has expanded its ranks to include 11 new national partners. The U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations and the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General, as well as nine additional U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, have joined the
Procurement Fraud
Procurement Collusion Strike Force Brings First Case Against Government Contractor in North Carolina
Late Friday, the Department of Justice announced its first charges under the Procurement Collusion Strike Force. A federal grand jury seated in the Eastern District of North Carolina returned a six-count indictment against Ohio-based Contech Engineered Solutions LLC and its former executive for their involvement in a decade-long conspiracy to rig bids for North Carolina…
The Cost of Silence in Procurement Fraud Investigations
When I was the Procurement Fraud Remedies Director for the Air Force I wrote a number of articles about the need for contractors to engage early with the government when facing procurement fraud allegations. My time back in private practice has caused me to “double down” on that sentiment. We’ve defended a number of individuals…
Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces – proposed rule links labor violations to unethical conduct
We’ve just published our Summer 2015 compliance brief focused on the Fair Pay & Safe Workplaces proposed rule and guidance from the Department of Labor. Please see http://www.shulmanrogers.com/media/publication/196_GovCon%20Compliance%20Brief%20Summer%202015%20Fair%20Pay%20and%20Safe%20Workplaces%20_2_.pdf and you will download a copy of our brief, 10 slide assessment of key terms and compliance tips.
Global Anticorruption Development — FIFA in the crosshairs
This is fascinating. Is this the end of the “wink wink, nudge nudge” look-the-other-way world of global sports corruption?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/05/27/top-fifa-officials-arrested-in-international-soccer-corruption-investigation-according-to-reports/
And still more guilty pleas in bribery cases
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/capitalbusiness/former-intelligent-decisions-ceo-pleads-guilty-to-bribery-charges/2014/11/25/f3ae43d0-74c1-11e4-bd1b-03009bd3e984_story.html
3 year sentence for a former AF official on bribery-related charges
Interesting facts from the now-ended, long running bribery related case of John Sims:
1) the federal investigation began in 2009, showing just how long some of these investigations take.
2) Mr. Sims apparently was both a contractor and a civilian employee through critical periods of this investigation/prosecution
3) guilty plea was to 5 of the…
Interesting array of recent convictions for common procurement fraud schemes
Fraud relating to the Presidential helicopter program: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/11/06/3-indicted-in-fraud-scheme-involving-marine-one-helicopter-fleet-that/
Ex Boeing procurement officer sentenced to 20 months for his role in a kickback scheme: http://fox2now.com/2014/10/28/ex-boeing-worker-gets-20-months-for-kickbacks/
Options for where/how to report counterfeit parts
One of the best I ever had the pleasure of hearing speak on this subject, Henry Livingston, posted this on his blog (counterfeitparts.wordpress.com) concerning counterfeit parts reporting. This article is worth a read, as is the entirety of that blog.
Quite a Week for Fraud Related News
The FedBid story in yesterday’s Washington Post is fascinating: http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/va-contracting-official-misused-her-position-to-help-company-ig-report-finds/2014/10/02/e903a1d2-47f8-11e4-891d-713f052086a0_story.html
Law360 covers an interesting Congressional/Executive branch split relating to whistleblower protections for federal employees: http://www.law360.com/governmentcontracts/articles/583761?nl_pk=a1c7e8b8-77a3-4368-85a3-90926e036c09&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=governmentcontracts
And a guilty plea in a long running case of mischarging and fraud at Shaw Air Force Base: http://www.wltx.com/story/news/crime/2014/10/01/men-plead-guilty-to-defrauding-shaw-air-force-base/16525957/