Electronic engineering

A settlement has been reached to resolve False Claims Act allegations against Cisco Systems and Westcon Group North America (formerly d.b.a. Comstor). They are accused of making misrepresentations to the General Services Administration (GSA) and other federal agencies.

Under the terms of this agreement, the United States has agreed to dismiss a whistleblower case filed in 2004.

The United States alleged that Cisco and Westcon knowingly provided incomplete information to GSA contracting officers during negotiations in regard to Westcon's contract with the GSA, which resulted in defective pricing of Cisco products and submission of false claims to the United States.

A settlement has been reached in a whistleblower class action lawsuit brought against Verizon Communications Inc who is accused of overcharging the General Services Administration (GSA) on invoices dealing with government-wide voice and data telecommunications services contracts.

The whistleblowers portion of the government's recovery was not disclosed.

Originally filed in January 2007,  the United States alleged that Verizon subsidiary MCI Communications Services Inc. dba Verizon Business Services invoiced GSA for a variety of federal, state and local taxes and surcharges in violation of the contracts or applicable regulations in connection with the FTS2001 and FTS2001 Bridge contracts. The department’s joint investigation with GSA’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) found that Verizon and MCI submitted false claims under the contracts for the reimbursement of property taxes, common carrier recovery charges and unallowable surcharges, charges that are not directly reimbursable under the FTS2001 contracts.