Importer Pays $7.6M to Resolve Customs Fraud Whistleblower Claims

Apparel firm allegedly undervalued and misclassified its imports to dodge customs duties Miami apparel firm Alexis LLC has paid $7.6 million to resolve a whistleblower lawsuit alleging it fraudulently undervalued and misclassified imports from China to avoid paying the full amounts it owed in customs duties. The whistleblower is entitled to a 15%-25% reward under the qui tam provisions of

Importer fraudulently underpaid customs duties by using fake, undervalued commercial invoices and false tariff classifications A federal court has found that an apparel importer engaged in a decades long fraudulent scheme to underpay customs duties on clothing and footwear imported from China, Korea, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. Delta Uniforms of New York, a provider of medical scrubs, was found to have

The automaker allegedly evaded 90% of the tariffs it owed on cargo vans made in Turkey by installing “sham” seats and misclassifying them as “passenger” vehicles Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) has paid $365 million to resolve federal charges it evaded $183 million in import duties by misclassifying light-duty Transit Connect cargo vans manufactured in Turkey as “passenger” vehicles when

The former logistics staffer who reported the import-duty evasion will receive a $152K whistleblower reward. An importer of  Chinese-manufactured ready-to-assemble furniture sold through such retailers as Walmart and Wayfair has paid $798,334 to resolve whistleblower claims it fraudulently used undervalued commercial invoices to reduce its import-duty obligations. A former employee of Homestar North America alerted the U.S. government to the importer’s alleged double-invoicing

Former employees who blew the whistle on the duty evasion will share a $500k whistleblower reward. ADCO Industries, a Texas-based importer of industrial products, has agreed to shell out $2.5 million to end a whistleblower lawsuit alleging it knowingly undervalued merchandise from China to fraudulently reduce its customs duties. Two former ADCO employees initiated the customs-fraud whistleblower lawsuit under the False Claims Act and

Former Yakima employee to receive $500k False Claims Act whistleblower reward. Yakima Products, a maker of automobile accessories such as hitches and roof racks, will pay $3 million to resolve a whistleblower lawsuit alleging it knowingly underdeclared its customs duties and misdeclared the country-of-origin of its imports. The qui tam whistleblower, a former director of operations at Yakima, filed the False Claims Act lawsuit

Samsung C&T America allegedly declared incorrect HTS tariff classifications on its customs entry documents. A U.S. unit of the South Korean conglomerate Samsung (KSE: KRX:028260.KS) has agreed to pay $1 million to settle allegations it violated the False Claims Act by knowingly misclassifying imports to evade customs duties. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Samsung C&T America knowingly filed customs entry documents misdescribing and listing inaccurate U.S.

International Vitamin Corp. allegedly violated the False Claims Act by misclassifying imports from China as “duty free.” International Vitamin Corp., a producer of store-brand vitamins and supplements, has agreed to pay $22.8 million to resolve allegations it violated the False Claims Act by knowingly evading customs duties on imports from China. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, IVC misclassified imports of