LAWSUITS NEWS & LEGAL INFORMATION
The Pasha Group agrees to pay $13 million settlement in bid-rigging and price-fixing lawsuit.
San Diego, CA: (May-29-08) The Federal Government brought charges against the Pasha Group, which processes about 200,000 cars and trucks annually at the National City marine terminal, alleging that the company participated in a bid-rigging conspiracy to fix prices charged to move goods belonging to US military and related personnel stationed in Europe.
The Corte Madera-based company and its subsidiaries, American MOPAC International and American Gateways International and employees, Missy Donnelly and George Pasha, were named as defendants in the suit. The Justice Department claimed that the Pasha Group joined the conspiracy by causing two American freight forwarders to cancel low bids and increase the bids under the threat of a boycott if they did not comply with bidding instructions. Due to the fraudulent practice, the Pentagon overpaid for moving expenses from 2001 to 2002. As a result, the Pentagon overpaid for moving expenses from 2001 to 2002, the Justice Department said.
The suit was filed after two whistleblowers, who were German citizens who worked with one of the German moving companies, reported the wrongdoing. The two, filed suits under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, which sets up a system for private citizens to recover federal funds obtained by false or fraudulent claims. Under the terms of the settlement reached, the defendants agreed to a $13 million payout to resolve allegations. Sources stated that the two whistleblowers were paid $2.6 million as their share of the Pasha settlement.
Search for: Pasha Settles Claims in Price-Fixing Conspiracy
Published on Jun-10-08
The Corte Madera-based company and its subsidiaries, American MOPAC International and American Gateways International and employees, Missy Donnelly and George Pasha, were named as defendants in the suit. The Justice Department claimed that the Pasha Group joined the conspiracy by causing two American freight forwarders to cancel low bids and increase the bids under the threat of a boycott if they did not comply with bidding instructions. Due to the fraudulent practice, the Pentagon overpaid for moving expenses from 2001 to 2002. As a result, the Pentagon overpaid for moving expenses from 2001 to 2002, the Justice Department said.
The suit was filed after two whistleblowers, who were German citizens who worked with one of the German moving companies, reported the wrongdoing. The two, filed suits under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, which sets up a system for private citizens to recover federal funds obtained by false or fraudulent claims. Under the terms of the settlement reached, the defendants agreed to a $13 million payout to resolve allegations. Sources stated that the two whistleblowers were paid $2.6 million as their share of the Pasha settlement.
The Pasha Group in the News
[SAN DIEGO BUSINESS JOURNAL: The Pasha Group]Search for: Pasha Settles Claims in Price-Fixing Conspiracy
Legal Help
If you have a similar problem and would like to be contacted by a lawyer at no cost or obligation, please click the link below.Published on Jun-10-08
