Delta Airlines Pays $10.5 Million to Settle False Claims Act Charges Over International Mail
Delta Airlines agreed to pay $10.5 million to settle allegations it violated the False Claims Act by falsely reporting information on the transfer of U.S. mail to foreign posts or other recipients under contracts with the U.S. Postal Service, DOJ announced June 30. Delta entered into contracts with USPS to take possession of U.S. mail receptacles at six locations either in the U.S. or at various locations of the departments of State and Defense around the world, then deliver the mail to various international and domestic spots, DOJ said.
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
Communications Daily is required reading for senior executives at top telecom corporations, law firms, lobbying organizations, associations and government agencies (including the FCC). Join them today!
The contracts required Delta to submit scans of the mail to USPS, including the time the mail was delivered at the particular location. The contracts included penalties for late or incorrectly delivered mail. Delta allegedly submitted scans that falsely reported the time and the fact that it transferred possession of the mail.
“The United States expects the air carriers with which the USPS contracts to accurately report the services they provide,” Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian Boynton said. “The resolution announced today reflects the department’s commitment to pursuing contractors that do not meet their contractual obligations to the United States and misrepresent their failure to perform.”