Government Contractor to Pay $1 Million to Settle Claims of Fraudulently Representing Work by a Small Disadvantaged Business on Peoria Airport Construction
Seattle Whistleblower Attorneys report that Williams Brothers Construction Inc. (WBCI) agreed to pay $1 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by misrepresenting its use of a small disadvantaged business to obtain a federally-funded construction contract.
The settlement resolves claims arising from WBCI’s construction of a new terminal building at the Peoria International Airport using Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grant funds. The FAA grant required the use of disadvantaged business enterprises for part of the construction. The United States contends that WBCI knowingly made false representations regarding its plans to use a disadvantaged small firm on the project and then falsified documents to make it appear that an eligible business did window, glazing, and curtain wall work. Instead, WBCI allegedly used that business only as a pass-through and had the work done by an ineligible company.
The claims in which the United States has intervened are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Source: Dept. of Justice
The settlement resolves claims arising from WBCI’s construction of a new terminal building at the Peoria International Airport using Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grant funds. The FAA grant required the use of disadvantaged business enterprises for part of the construction. The United States contends that WBCI knowingly made false representations regarding its plans to use a disadvantaged small firm on the project and then falsified documents to make it appear that an eligible business did window, glazing, and curtain wall work. Instead, WBCI allegedly used that business only as a pass-through and had the work done by an ineligible company.
The claims in which the United States has intervened are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Source: Dept. of Justice