Government contract fraud encompasses a range of activities ranging from bribery acceptance and pricing to offer fraud and invoice falsification. Unfortunately, even contractors who are not involved in fraudulent activities are often charged with this crime, which can have devastating repercussions for your business in the financial arena in general. Choosing the right attorney can make all the difference in the outcome of your case, so if you have been questioned about your involvement in suspected government contract fraud, you should speak to an experienced economic crime attorney in federal law you are able to reduce your charges or possibly dismiss them.
Contract Fraud
Anyone who has a contract with the government can be accused of fraud, however, the entities that are most commonly reported include:
- Health service providers;
- Defense Contractors;
- Construction companies.
The aforementioned individuals and companies can be accused of illegal behavior that frequently includes:
- On billing or double billing;
- Charging for services or goods not provided or that were not related to the business;
- Supply of inferior goods or services.
Those who are accused of fraud in connection with a government contract are also often charged with other crimes, including mail and cyber fraud, conspiracy, and accounting fraud. However, before a person can be convicted, it must be possible to demonstrate that they knowingly filed a false claim with the government. It is extremely important, in any fraud charge, to be able to justify your intentionality. Therefore, providing evidence of the lack of intention when committing fraud is essential for the defendants.
Do Not Reveal Material Violations
In 2016, the Supreme Court unanimously issued a ruling that companies that do business with the government can be sued for fraud if they don’t disclose legal or regulatory violations. The court also announced that the violation must be significant to justify a conviction for fraud of government contracts. Infractions deemed significant enough to warrant federal charges include billing for services rendered by unlicensed employees and misrepresentations such as half-fact confirmation and omission of qualified information.
A precise definition of what is understood as “material violation” helps protect government contractors from trivial claims that could otherwise result in costly awards and false claims. Unfortunately, many contractors are wrongly accused of committing fraud, so it is especially important for those who are being accused of this crime to speak to an experienced attorney to help you dismiss their charges.
