Ms Sparky

Updated 5-3-2011: It appears Yuksel Construction Company, the KBR subcontractor at the center of this investigation, may be providing the DoJ with an abundance of pertinent information. Yuksel contacted the DoJ and according to the most recent motion “Yuksel presented additional factual information bearing on the issues in the case.” One can only hope Yuksel does the right thing and gives the DoJ a list of names of the wrong doers! ~Ms Sparky

U.S. Government Intervenes in False Claims Lawsuit Against Kellogg Brown & Root Services Inc.

WASHINGTON – February 18, 2011 – The government has intervened in a lawsuit against Kellogg Brown & Root Services Inc. (KBR) in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois, announced the Department of Justice. The lawsuit was filed in February 2007 by James A. Brady III, a former employee of KBR, and alleges that KBR violated the False Claims Act in connection with “LOGCAP III,” the third generation of the U.S. Army’s Logistics Civil Augmentation Program awarded and administered at Rock Island, Ill. Under the contract, KBR was to provide logistics and sustainment support to U.S. military troops in Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan. KBR performed LOGCAP III largely through subcontractors.

According to the complaint, KBR entered into a subcontract with the Turkish company Yuksel-Reysas to do operations and maintenance work at Army camps near Mosul, Iraq. Brady alleges that KBR violated the False Claims Act because it was unable to account for materials paid for under the Yuksel-Reysas subcontract.

“Contractors hired to provide support to our men and women in uniform must play by the rules,” said Tony West, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division of the Department of Justice.  “As we’ve done today, the Justice Department will take action against those whom we believe charge the taxpayers for goods and services that were not provided to American troops.”

“We’ve decided to pursue the allegation that money that was intended to support the troops was instead used to pay claims that were false,” said Jim Lewis, U.S. Attorney for the Central District of Illinois.

The lawsuit was filed under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private parties to sue on behalf of the United States when they believe that defendants submitted false claims for government funds. The private plaintiffs are called “relators,” and, under the statute, are entitled to receive a share of any funds recovered through the lawsuit. The False Claims Act permits the government to recover three times its damages plus civil penalties. The government has asked the court for 60 days to file its own complaint stating the United States’ allegations. (Click HERE for original article)

Click HERE for a pdf version of James A. Brady III vs KBR.

This complaint was a very interesting read!! I would like to say I have never heard of this happening before at KBR, but I can’t. Below is a list of the names of all the people listed in this complaint. If you have any information regarding this issue please let us know or get in touch with James Brady’s attorney Jeffrey A. Lovitky.

James A. Brady III (KBR Property Administrator for Northern Iraq)
Patrick Overacker (LOGCAP III Deputy Procurement and Materials Manager)
Samuel Simmons (LOGCAP III Senior Subcontracts Administrator)
Barron Marcee (LOGCAP III Deputy Procurement and Supply Manager)
Remo Butler (Major General, U.S. Army, Retired, LOGCAP III Deputy Theater Program Manager)
Todd Bishop (KBR Director of Government Compliance, KBR Headquarters, Houston, Texas)
Jonathan Langford (KBR Government and Infrastructure Investigator, KBR Headquarters, Arlington, Virginia)
Lionel Scott (H-Sites Materials Manager)
Doug Bellah (KBR Property Administrator)
Mary Culliver (KBR Client Owned Equipment Specialist (COES)
LaTonya Newton (KBR Client Owned Equipment Specialist (COES)
Norman Mabe (KBR H-Sites Generator Manager)
Jerry Phillips (KBR H-Sites Deputy Project Manager for Operations)
Cheryl Lang (KBR Government Property Administrator)
John P. Jones (KBR H-Sites Procurement and Supply Manager)
Ron Parmenter (KBR H-4 Power Generator Mechanic)
Derrick Harper (KBR Materials Department)
Steven Arnold (KBR LOGCAP III Vice-President)
Charles House, (KBR H-Sites Employee Relations Officer)
Jennifer Bryan (U.S. Army CID Agent)
Leroy Hill (KBR LOGCAP III Property Manager)
LTC Richard Fenoli (FOB Commander for H-2 Diamondback & H-4 Marez)