• Qui Tam
  • SEC
  • CFTC
  • FCPA
  • Whistleblower Resources
  • FAQS
Subscribe
Donate
No Result
View All Result
Whistleblower Network News
The Truth at Any Cost.
Qui Tam, Compliance and Anti-Corruption News.
SIGN THE PETITION FOR NATIONAL WHISTLEBLOWER DAY IN 2023
Whistleblower Network News
  • Qui Tam
  • SEC
  • CFTC
  • FCPA
  • Whistleblower Resources
  • FAQS
Subscribe
Donate
No Result
View All Result
Whistleblower Network News
No Result
View All Result
Home False Claims-Qui Tam

DOJ Intervenes in False Claims Act Whistleblower Case Against AECOM: Lawsuit Related to Hurricane Katrina Relief

Ana PopovichbyAna Popovich
June 16, 2020
in False Claims-Qui Tam
Reading Time: 2 mins read
DOJ Intervenes in False Claims Act Whistleblower Case Against AECOM: Lawsuit Related to Hurricane Katrina Relief
Share on TwitterShare on FacebookShare on LinkedInEmail

On June 3, 2020, the DOJ (Department of Justice) published a press release detailing the U.S.’s involvement in a lawsuit against AECOM, an L.A-based architecture, and engineering firm initiated by a qui tam whistleblower lawsuit. The whistleblower, an AECOM Project Specialist Robert Romero who originally filed the qui tam complaint against AECOM, received a $2.3 million award for his disclosure.

The DOJ reports that AECOM “received more than $300 million from FEMA between 2005 and 2019 as a technical assistance contractor” as part of FEMA’s disaster response and plan for recovery from Hurricane Katrina. AECOM had on-the-ground responsibilities: their work consisted of evaluating sites and making “damage and repair estimates” to determine if applicants could take advantage of the Public Assistance (PA) program. Their reports were supposed to provide FEMA “with truthful, accurate information regarding each family’s pre-disaster design and all damage” caused by the hurricane.

The DOJ alleges that AECOM “knowingly submitting false claims on behalf of applicants seeking PA program funds.” The fraud was conducted by AECOM “using inflated repair estimates and other false information that improperly increased funding” for applicants of the PA program. some individual applicants allegedly signed off on these erroneous and statements, which will also be liable for the false claims that AECOM submitted. The fraud allegations cover actions that occurred between 2007 through 2013. The DOJ reports that the lawsuit also alleges that “by 2011, AECOM management was aware of systemic problems concerning the provision of false and inaccurate information to FEMA but failed to notify the government.”

Support Whistleblower Network News

The press release also states that the Xavier University of Louisiana is one of the recipients of the PA program through an assessment by AECOM. The university will pay the U.S. $12 million “to resolve its alleged role in the submission of false and misleading repair estimates prepared by AECOM on its behalf.” The government is alleging that Xavier used the PA program money “for its gymnasium, student center, and electrical grid,” and that this money was much more than they qualified for under the PA program’s rules. As part of Xavier’s settlement, the university “has agreed to cooperate with the department’s investigation of other parties and any related litigation.”

Read more:

The DOJ Press Release

Tags: qui tam lawsuitqui tam whistleblowers
Previous Post

Virginia’s New Whistleblower Law Increases Protections for Whistleblowers

Next Post

Lithuania Benefits from New Whistleblower Law – but Whistleblowers Don’t

Ana Popovich

Ana Popovich

Ana Popovich is a contributing editor with Whistleblower Network News, where she writes about breaking whistleblower news, healthcare fraud whistleblowers, and Covid-19 fraud whistleblowers. Ana has a B.A. in English from Georgetown University. While at Georgetown, she was the marketing chair of an affinity group and wrote content for the McDonough School of Business’ Business for Impact program. In 2018, Popovich was a public interest legal intern at the whistleblower law firm Kohn, Kohn and Colapinto. 

Next Post
Lithuania Benefits from New Whistleblower Law – but Whistleblowers Don’t

Lithuania Benefits from New Whistleblower Law – but Whistleblowers Don’t

Please login to join discussion

Receive Daily Alerts

Subscribe to receive daily breaking news and legislative developments sent to your inbox.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Most Popular

Whistleblower Jóhannes Stefánsson Plans to Testify at Fishrot Trial in Namibia

WNN Exclusive Interview with Social Security Whistleblowers Sarah Carver and Jennifer Griffith — Part 1

Tell President Biden to “Finish the Job” for Whistleblowers

Change the Culture, Make National Whistleblower Day Permanent

Whistleblower Raised Concerns of Rodents, Spiders in Kitchen of Childcare Facility, Then Fired; OSHA Rules They Were Retaliated Against

U.S. and UK Advocates Come Together for Whistleblowing Awareness Week

Whistleblower Poll

Whistleblower Poll
Whistleblower Poll

Exclusive Marist Poll: Overwhelming Public Support Among Likely Voters For Increased Whistleblower Protections

byGeoff Schweller
October 6, 2020

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

STAY INFORMED.
Subscribe to receive breaking whistleblower updates.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

About Us

  • About
  • Contact Us
  • Donate
  • Careers

Subscribe

  • Daily Mail
  • Follow us on Twitter
  • YouTube Channel

Contribute

  • Letter to the Editor
  • Submission Guidelines
  • Reprint Guidelines

Your Experience

  • Accessibility Statement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Help

  • The Whistleblowers Handbook
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Advertise
Whistleblower Network News

Whistleblower Network News is an independent online newspaper providing our readers with up-to-date information on whistleblowing. Our goal is to be the best source of information on important qui tam, anti-corruption, compliance, and whistleblower law developments. 

Submit an Article

Copyright © 2021, Whistleblower Network News. All Rights Reserved.

This Newspaper/Web Site is made available by the publisher for educational purposes only as well as to give you general information and a general understanding of the law, not to provide specific legal advice. By using this website, you understand that there is no attorney-client relationship between you and the Newspaper/Web Site publisher. The Newspaper/Web Site should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state.

SIGN THE PETITION FOR NATIONAL WHISTLEBLOWER DAY IN 2023
No Result
View All Result
  • Exclusives
  • Government
    • False Claims-Qui Tam
    • Federal Employees
    • Intelligence
  • Corporate
    • CFTC & Commodities
    • Dodd-Frank
    • IRS & Tax
    • SEC & Securities
  • Features
  • Legislation
  • International
    • Foreign Corruption
  • Rewards
  • Whistleblower of the Week
  • Environment & Climate
  • Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Employment
    • Sarbanes-Oxley Whistleblowers
    • Retaliation
    • OSHA
  • Media
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • National Whistleblower Day
  • Whistleblower Poll
  • Whistleblower Resources
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Resources for Locating An Attorney
    • The New Whistleblowers Handbook
  • National Whistleblower Day ’23

Copyright © 2020, Whistleblower Network News. All Rights Reserved.

Become a Whistleblower Network News Subscriber

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Subscribe to WNN

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Subscribe to WNN

Add New Playlist

Go to mobile version