Lockheed Martin Settles Whistleblower Lawsuit for $15.9M

Lockheed Martin will fork over $15.9 million to settle a whistleblower lawsuit that claimed the biggest U.S. defense contractor mischarged the federal government for tools used on a military plane.

The settlement comes after two whistleblower lawsuits levied against Lockheed uncovered the pricing fraud that it had engaged in for 14 years, according to Bloomberg. The U.S. Justice Department said the company passed excessive costs to the government in violation of the False Claims Act. The act allows people to file whistleblower lawsuits against companies or individuals who directly or indirectly defrauded the federal government.

Lockheed found itself in legal trouble earlier this month after the widow of a U.S. Air Force pilot claimed the company’s fighter jet contained defective components that caused the crash that killed her husband.

If you or someone you know has information about a company defrauding the U.S. government, contact Sokolove Law for a free legal consultation and to find out if you have grounds to pursue a whistleblower lawsuit.

Photo courtesy of Charles Atkeison via Flickr.