Government Contractor to Pay $1 Million settlement claims

The Department of Justice announced today that Williams Brothers Construction Inc. (WBCI) of Peoria Heights, Illinois, has agreed to pay $1 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by misrepresenting its use of a small disadvantaged business to obtain a federally-funded construction contract.

“The Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program of the Department of Transportation creates important opportunities for small businesses to participate in construction projects paid for with federal funds,” said Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division.  “We will hold accountable those who misrepresent their compliance with program requirements to obtain taxpayer funds to which they are not entitled, and thereby undermine the program’s goal of supporting small businesses.”

WBCI’s construction of a new terminal building at the Peoria International Airport using Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grant funds arose the settlement claims. The FAA grant required the use of disadvantaged business enterprises for part of the construction. According to United States, WBCI had knowingly made false representations regarding its plans to use a disadvantaged small firm on the project.

WBCI falsified the documents to make it appear that an eligible business did window, glazing, and curtain wall work. Instead, WBCI allegedly used that business only as a pass-through and had the work done by an ineligible company.

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to protect taxpayer dollars,” said U.S. Attorney John C. Milhiser for the Central District of Illinois.  “In cases such as this, we work alongside the Civil Division at the Department of Justice and with the Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General to ensure that funds designated to support disadvantaged small businesses are used for their intended purpose and benefit.”