Whistleblower Receives $210,000 from Government Customs Fraud Settlement with Global Trading and Investment Company
- posted: Jul. 25, 2023
- Whistleblower Litigation, Fraud
Devyn Taylor, who alleged that Samsung C&T America committed False Claims Act violations, is set to receive $210,000 for blowing the whistle. The settlement was approved in early February 2023 by U.S. District Judge Paul G. Gardephe.
Taylor initially filed a qui tam whistleblower case against another party. That filing lead the government to investigate and settle with SCTA. As a result, Taylor is entitled to a portion of the recovered funds, which totaled $1 million.
Case background
Samsung C&T America, Inc. is a global trading and investment company. The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York reported that the government’s settlement with SCTA were due to claims that SCTA violated the FCA between May 2016 and December 2018. The company reportedly misclassified imported footwear under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule. As a result, the company did not pay the full amount of custom duties they would have owed, had they categorized those imports appropriately.
The case was investigated and settled in part due to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Homeland Security Investigations agencies.
Qui tam whistleblower suits
Taylor’s case was a qui tam whistleblower suit. These lawsuits allow private individuals to report and help investigate violations of the False Claims Act. When successful, qui tam lawsuits allow the individual to collect a percentage of the proceeds. This helps incentivize people to report employers or organizations committing fraud against the government.
If you have witnessed False Claims Act violations at your workplace, you may be eligible to file your own whistleblower claim. A skilled whistleblower attorney at Kardell Law Group can help you understand your legal options and guide you through the process. Call today for a consultation.
