InfoBytes Blog
DOJ Enters $45 Million Settlement with California Technology Company in False Claims Act Matter
On March 10, the Department of Justice (the “Government”) announced that a California-based technology company agreed to settle the Government’s allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by making false statements and claims in its negotiation and administration of a General Services Administration (“GSA”) contract. According to the Government’s press release announcing the settlement, the settlement resolved allegations that the company failed to “fully and accurately disclose its discounting practices to GSA contracting officers.” More specifically, the Government had alleged that the company provided false information about customer discounts in connection with the contract negotiations, and violated the price reduction clause in the contract by not providing government customers with additional discounts when commercial discounts improved. The company agreed to pay $45 million to resolve the allegations, which were first made in a whistleblower lawsuit filed under the False Claims Act. $10.195 million of the total settlement will be paid to the whistleblower, as the rules under the False Claims Act provide that private individuals may to sue on behalf of the government and share in a portion of the recovery.