Carriers to pay damages
United Airlines has agreed to pay over USD 49 million to resolve criminal charges and civil claims relating to fraud on postal service contracts for the transportation of international mail.
The sum includes USD 17,271,415 in criminal penalties and disgorgement to resolve a criminal investigation into a fraud scheme perpetrated by former employees of United Cargo in connection with international mail deliveries on behalf of the US Postal Service.
Separately, United has entered into a false claims act settlement with the civil division’s commercial litigation branch for related conduct, under which it is obliged to pay USD 32,186,687.
In August 2019, American Airlines paid USD 22.1 million to resolve similar civil claims that it altered on-time data under a USPS contract. (ah)