Private German Airline to Pay $26.8M to Settle Claims It Failed to Pay User Fees
Germany-based private airline company Hahn Air Lines and its Minnesota-based subsidiary, Hahn Air USA, will pay $26.8 million to settle allegations the companies violated the False Claims Act by "knowingly failing to remit to the United States certain travel fees" the airline collected from commercial passengers flying to or within the U.S., DOJ announced.
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The U.S. alleged that from 2012 to 2018, Hahn Air avoided paying the government the travel fees it collected from its passengers, including Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service agricultural quarantine user fees owed to USDA, "Customs User Fees and Immigration User Fees" owed to CBP, and "Passenger Civil Aviation Security Service Fees owed to the Transportation Security Administration."
MGSNOVA Advisory brought the whistleblower suit, walking away from the proceeding with around $4.8 million.