Corning to Pay $5.65M for False Claims, Whistleblower to Get $904K

New York-based Corning Incorporated has agreed to pay $5.65 million to the U.S. government to resolve allegations that it knowingly presented false claims for laboratory research products it sold to federal agencies through its Life Sciences division.

In 2005, Corning entered a contract to sell laboratory research products to the federal government through a program that provided authorized purchasers with a streamlined procurement process for commonly used goods and services.  The suit alleged that Corning knowingly failed to fulfill its contractual obligation to provide the program with information about its discounts to other customers and made false statements about its sales practices, leading to the government receiving lower discounts and paying more for Corning products than it should have.

The suit was brought under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act, which allows private citizens to bring suit for false claims on behalf of the government and share in the recovery.  Kevin Jones, a former Corning Life Sciences sales representative, will receive $904,000 as his share of the settlement.

The Chanler Group, in association with the Hirst Law Group, represents whistleblowers who take action under the False Claims Act to report fraud committed against the federal and state governments.  We have years of experience representing whistleblower clients who expose every kind of fraud against the government, including health care fraud, contract fraud, and tax fraud.  Read more about our expertise in False Claims Act cases and how you can take action.