俄亥俄州汽车零部件商Murotech付303.9万美元和解PPP虚假申报指控：涉虚报员工人数申领贷款及豁免
Toledo， Ohio——俄亥俄州北区联邦检察官办公室宣布，总部位于俄亥俄州 St. Marys 的汽车零部件制造商 Murotech Ohio Corporation 已同意支付3,039,615美元，其中1,085,577美元为 restitution（返还赔偿金），以和解《虚假申报法》（False Claims Act, FCA）下的一项指控：该公司被指明知不实，仍提供虚假信息以取得「薪资保护计划」（Paycheck Protection Program, PPP）贷款及贷款豁免。该公司是位于日本的 Muro Corporation 的子公司。
PPP 计划由小企业局（Small Business Administration, SBA）推出，在新冠疫情期间为符合资格的公司提供财务支持。Murotech Ohio 在2020年5月提交的第一份申请中证明公司员工少于500人，但若把关联企业计算在内，其员工人数实际上超过了这一数字。2021年1月提交的第二份申请证明员工少于300人，但若计入关联企业，其实际员工人数远超这一数字。此后，Murotech Ohio 申请豁免两笔联邦贷款的偿还，并在申请中证明其员工人数低于计划的上限要求。
本次和解了结了依据《虚假申报法》举报人条款提起的两宗诉讼。依据该条款，个人（称为 relator，举报人）可代表美国政府就虚假申报提起诉讼，并分享政府追回款项的一部分。两宗案件分别为 United States ex rel. GNGH2, Inc. v. Murotech Ohio Corporation（案号 3:24-CV-1592）和 United States ex rel. Verity Investigations, LLC. v. Murotech Ohio Corporation（案号 3:24-CV-2245）。依据和解，两名举报人将各获得151,980.75美元。
本案的处理结果是俄亥俄州北区联邦检察官办公室协调努力的成果，小企业局总法律顾问办公室（SBA-OGC）提供了协助。助理联邦检察官 Angelita Cruz Bridges 负责处理本案。
司法部说明，本次和解所了结的仅为指控，尚无任何责任裁定。
Ohio Auto Parts Maker Murotech to Pay $3,039,615 to Resolve PPP False Claims Act Allegations
TOLEDO, Ohio — The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Ohio announced that Murotech Ohio Corporation, an automotive component parts manufacturer with its principal place of business in St. Marys, Ohio, has agreed to pay $3,039,615, of which $1,085,577 is restitution, to resolve allegations under the False Claims Act (FCA) that it knowingly provided false information to obtain Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and loan forgiveness. The company is a subsidiary of Muro Corporation, located in Japan.
The PPP program was launched through the Small Business Administration (SBA) to provide eligible companies with financial support during the COVID-19 pandemic. Murotech Ohio's first application, submitted in May 2020, certified that the company had fewer than 500 employees, but in fact it exceeded that amount when counting affiliates. A second application submitted in January 2021 certified that it employed fewer than 300 employees, but in truth the company employed far more when including affiliates. Murotech Ohio then applied to have both federal loans forgiven and certified on its submitted applications that the number of employees was below program limit requirements.
The settlement resolves two lawsuits filed under the whistleblower provisions of the FCA, which allow an individual, known as the relator, to file a complaint on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government's recovery. The whistleblower cases are captioned United States ex rel. GNGH2, Inc. v. Murotech Ohio Corporation, case number 3:24-CV-1592, and United States ex rel. Verity Investigations, LLC. v. Murotech Ohio Corporation, case number 3:24-CV-2245. As part of the settlement, the relators will receive $151,980.75 each.
The resolution was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Ohio, with assistance from the SBA's Office of General Counsel (SBA-OGC). Assistant United States Attorney Angelita Cruz Bridges handled the matter for the Northern District of Ohio.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
发布：GSM·美国（发布链接）
图片来源：图：位于 Toledo 的 James M. Ashley and Thomas W.L. Ashley 美国法院（俄亥俄州北区联邦地区法院，本案诉讼地法院，资料图）。Carol M. Highsmith 摄，公共领域（美国国会图书馆藏品），取自维基共享资源。Photo: The James M. Ashley and Thomas W.L. Ashley United States Courthouse in Toledo, Ohio (U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio; file photo). By Carol M. Highsmith, public domain (Library of Congress), via Wikimedia Commons.
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