Baltimore, Maryland – Virginia-based Information Innovators, Inc. (Triple-I) has agreed to pay the United States $6.05 million to resolve allegations that a predecessor company, Creative Computing Solutions, Inc. (CCSi), violated the False Claims Act by knowingly overbilling the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for work performed by CCSi employees who lacked required job qualifications.
The settlement was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton of the Justice Department’s Civil Division; and Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari of the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General.
“Defense contractors are required to bill for costs actually incurred, and to be truthful in the claims they submit to federal agencies,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our partners are committed to protecting taxpayer dollars and ensuring integrity and compliance with federal agency standards.”
“Contractors that knowingly overcharge the government will be held accountable,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department will ensure that that those who do business with the government, and seek taxpayer funds, do so fairly and in accordance with their contractual commitments.”
“DHS OIG remains committed to protecting government programs, and American taxpayers who contribute to them, from fraudsters,” said Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari. “Our agency, working closely with our law enforcement partners, will continue to root out these unlawful contracting fraud schemes.”
Triple-I, which provides information technology (IT) services and solutions to federal agencies, acquired Maryland-based CCSi in 2015. CCSi formerly provided IT services to DHS pursuant to an Enterprise Acquisition Gateway for Leading Edge Solutions Contract (EAGLE Contract). The settlement resolves allegations that, from October 2007 to April 2014, CCSi knowingly submitted claims for payment to DHS for work performed by CCSi employees who lacked required job qualifications. CCSi allegedly violated the terms of the EAGLE Contract by using under-qualified personnel who were billed to DHS at higher rates reserved for more qualified employees.
The claim resolved by this settlement is an allegation. The settlement is not an admission of liability by CCSi, nor a concession by the United States that its claims are not well founded.
The settlement was a result of an investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, the Department of Justice Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch - Fraud Section, and the DHS Office of Inspector General, Major Frauds and Corruption Unit. Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner and Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian Boynton commended the DHS Office of the Inspector General for their work in the investigation and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Tarra DeShields and Trial Attorney Jake M. Shields of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Division, Fraud Section, who handled this case.
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| URL | |
|---|---|
| Component | USAO - Maryland; |
| OIG | Department of Homeland Security OIG |