A whistleblower, who reported defective parts on Army Humvees that could endanger American troops and who was later fired as a result, has received a $990,000 settlement as part of a government contract fraud settlement. The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports, Fired Humvee Whistleblower Wins $990,000.
The whistleblower, David McIntosh, was a regional sales manager for M.K. Battery, which made a backup battery on a gun turret installed on Army Humvess. McIntosh learned that a change in the battery's manufacturing process reduced the battery's life span by about 50%. He urged company officials to notify the Army of this; when they did not, he did and McIntosh was fired three weeks later.
McIntosh filed the whistleblower and a retaliation suit under the federal False Claims Act. The whistleblower part of the case is what was settled with the company paying the government about $5 million of which McIntosh is to receive $990,000, because whistleblowers filing suit under the False Claims Act on government contract fraud receive 15-25% of the monies paid by the company that has defrauded the government and the taxpayers.
The False Claims Act also makes it unlawful to fire someone who has reported or tried to stop government contract fraud. McIntosh's retaliation claim is based on this.
Lexington, Kentucky whistleblower lawyer Robert Abell represents whistleblowers in government contract fraud and retaliation cases under the False Claims Act; contact him at 859-254-7076.
