A just-released list of the “Top 100 Corporate Crime Stories of 2011” includes a whistleblower case brought by former Congressman and current Congressional candidate Alan Grayson (D-Orlando). This week’s article in the Corporate Crime Reporter puts Grayson’s whistleblower case against DynCorp and The Sandi Group at Number 40.
“I appreciate the recognition, but I don’t do this kind of work to get recognized. I do it because companies like DynCorp and The Sandi Group are ripping us off. I’m very happy to continue to do good things for the taxpayers and the troops,” said Grayson.
The Department of Justice contends that Dyncorp overcharged the government for payment under a contract for the construction of container camps. The Sandi Group is accused of claiming “danger pay” for its employees when, in fact, the workers were not entitled to such pay.
Grayson recovered $8.7 million for the taxpayers in a settlement of claims that his whistleblower clients, Drew Halldorson and Brian Evancho, brought against the two war profiteers. Under that settlement, the defendants agreed to pay $8.7 million to the Government. The Government is paying almost $500,000 to the whistleblowers, while the taxpayers keep the remaining $8.2 million. Separately, the defendants paid almost $200,000 in attorney’s fees.
Before Grayson was elected to Congress, the Wall Street Journal praised Grayson in a front-page story, for waging a “one-man war against contractor fraud in Iraq.” Earlier, Grayson took the first case of Iraq contractor fraud to trial, winning a $14 million judgment for the taxpayers. For his work against war profiteers in Iraq, the national organization Taxpayers Against Fraud named Grayson “Lawyer of the Year.”
While in Congress, Grayson also worked to crack down on defense contractor waste, fraud and abuse. He introduced and passed amendments to reduce “sole source” contracts awarded to contractors without competition, and to have more defense contracts awarded to the lowest bidder.
Grayson is running for a new U.S. House of Representatives district that is expected to be created in Orlando.
It is an truely amazing thing, a politician did something good for America. I wish it was a trend!