What makes a contract fraud case
Government contract fraud cases under the FCA typically involve a contractor that certified compliance — with specifications, testing, pricing, or eligibility requirements — while knowing the certification was false when it billed the government.
Construction and infrastructure
Highway, bridge, and public works fraud often involves falsified material tests, substandard concrete or asphalt, or billing for work not performed. Insiders on site — inspectors, foremen, testing lab staff — have exposed schemes that auditors missed.
Defense and aerospace
Cases have involved non-conforming parts in aircraft and vehicles, inflated progress billing on weapons programs, and mischarged overhead across contracts. Settlements in this space can reach tens or hundreds of millions.
Lessons for potential relators
Successful cases usually rest on documents and witnesses showing a pattern — not a single mistake. If you see repeated certification failures hidden from government oversight, consider a confidential consultation with qui tam counsel.