Lucent Settles With DOJ Over Iraq First Responder Net Allegations

Will pay $4.2 million to settle whistleblower suit over $250 million emergency communications net contract

By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 9/21/2012 2:37:08 PM

The Justice Department Friday said that Lucent Technologies Worldwide, a subsidiary of Alcatel-Lucent, has agreed to pay $4.2 million to settle allegations it had inaccurately claimed to have completed tests of the operation of the Army's emergency communications system in Iraq.

Lucent won a quarter-billion-dollar contract to design and build a first responder net for police, fire and medical assistance.

The settlement was to resolve a whistleblower suit filed by the former contract manager for the project. He will receive $758,000 of the settlement for blowing that whistle.

"The integrity of our public contracting system is a matter of paramount concern to the Department of Justice, especially where contractors have been engaged to supply critical support for the work of stabilizing Iraq and Afghanistan," said Stuart Delery, acting assistant attorney general for the DOJ's Civil Division.