News

WASHINGTON – Tarsem Singh, 61, a businessman from Fairfax, Va., was sentenced today to 15 months in prison for conspiring to commit fraud on the United States by illegally obtaining over $6 million in contracts that were meant for small, disadvantaged businesses.

WASHINGTON – Thomas Harper, a former officer and owner of MCC Construction Company (MCC), pled guilty today to conspiring to obstruct justice before the Small Business Administration (SBA). Harper also agreed to pay restitution in the amount of $165,711.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Helen Renee Ballard, 51, and Robert S. Ballard, 55, both of Brandywine, Maryland, were indicted by a federal grand jury today on charges of conspiracy, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and false statements for their roles in a scheme to fraudulently obtain employment from the U.S. government and federal contractors for family members.

The Department of Justice announced today that Deloitte Consulting LLP (Deloitte) has agreed to pay $11.38 million to resolve allegations under the False Claims Act that it submitted false claims under a General Services Administration (GSA) contract.

Moustafa Ahmed Ibrahim, 37, of Harrisonburg, Virginia pleaded guilty today to paying bribes to public officials in order to obtain government contracts for his company.

General Services Administration Office of Inspector General special agents from Boston, Massachusetts, recovered the Works Progress Administration oil painting, "Old Ironsides, USS Constitution," by Vadim Vladimirovich Morosoff from Thomaston Place Auction Galleries in Maine yesterday.

Brian J. Garrahan, 42, and Kelly A. Spillman 34, both of Delray Beach, Florida, pled guilty today for their participation in a conspiracy to defraud over ten federal agencies by issuing fraudulent bonds to insure government contracts.

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued two reports today concluding that GSA-managed facilities are at an increased risk of unauthorized access due to GSA’s lack of controls over facility specific building access badges and deficiencies in GSA’s management of Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) Personal Identity Verification (PIV) cards issued to contractors. Unauthorized access to these facilities increases the risk of a security event such as an active shooter, terrorist attack, theft of government property, or exposure of sensitive information.

WASHINGTON – The Justice Department announced today that MCC Construction Company (MCC) has agreed to pay $1,769,294 in criminal penalties and forfeiture for conspiring to commit fraud on the United States by illegally obtaining government contracts that were intended for small, disadvantaged businesses.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Eric M. Shaffer, 42, of Modesto, was sentenced today by United States District Judge John A. Mendez to one year and a day in prison for theft of Department of Defense property worth more than $316,000, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.