Government Contractor Agrees to Settle Whistleblower Suit

The Department of Justice announced that Ward Diesel Filter Systems, Inc. (“Ward”), a manufacturer of diesel engine filtering systems, has agreed to pay $628,000 to settle allegations that it violated the False Claims Act. The government alleged that New York-based Ward provided inaccurate commercial pricing information for its fire engine filtering systems to the General Services Administration (“GSA”). Ward systems have been utilized by the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Department of Energy.

The allegations came to light in 2010 when a whistleblower lawsuit was brought by Ted Siska under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act. According to the Complaint, the contract between Ward and the GSA required Ward to identify its most-favored customers and provide more favorable prices to the GSA than it charged those customers. The whistleblower claimed that Ward failed to comply with the contract and routinely overcharged the government agencies that purchased the engine filters.

Under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, the whistleblower will receive $94,200 as his share of the settlement amount.

If you have any firsthand knowledge, information, or evidence related to any federal, state, county or city government fraud, you should speak with an experienced qui tam lawyer who can help you understand your legal rights and help you obtain the compensation you deserve.

If you have a claim, contact the Florida whistleblower attorneys at Rabin Kammerer Johnson for a free and confidential consultation by calling toll free at 877.915.4040.