New Mexico-based Akal Securities has seen tremendous growth since September 11th and has won over $3 billion in government contracts. Having won a $1.6 billion five-year contract to guard federal courthouses, Akal is now the nation’s largest courthouse security contractor. Such rapid growth and financial success has also led to growing legal problems, however.
Akal Securities Settled Fraud Claim for Falsifying Test Results
Akal has agreed to pay $1.9 million to settle claims that the company falsified the results of firearms tests for guards who failed to complete the test in the allotted time. According to the Ventura County Star, Akal denies the allegations but claims that it settled to avoid further costs. In 2007, Akal settled similar allegations that some of its guards failed to complete weapons qualification and other training requirements and that Akal failed to satisfy man-hour requirements under the contracts.
Akal has disclosed that it currently faces a total of 134 legal cases, including claims by whistleblowers and federal authorities. Akal’s president claims that the company faces no more legal claims than other companies of its size.
Whistleblowers Can Help Bring Government Contractor Fraud to Light
When government contractors commit fraud against the government, whistleblowers do all of us a great service by coming forward with evidence of the fraud. Because their help is so important, the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act authorize individual whistleblowers to file suit against the wrongdoers and receive a portion of any funds recovered.
Find out more about your rights as a whistleblower under the False Claims Act. The highly skilled attorneys at Waters & Kraus have decades of experience working with whistleblowers in a wide variety of fraud cases. Contact us or call our whistleblower attorneys at 800.226.9880 to learn more about our practice and how we can assist.
