Articles Posted in Customs Fraud & Import Duty Evasion

The conspirators allegedly transshipped Chinese-manufactured merchandise through Malaysia, then falsely declared its country of origin as Malaysia instead of China when importing it into the United States

A federal court has sentenced a Florida couple to five years in prison for fraudulently evading $42.4 million in customs duties on imports of Chinese plywood.

According to prosecutors, the pair caused the goods to be transshipped to Malaysia before being reshipped to the United States with Malaysia rather than China falsely declared as their “country of origin.”

The whistleblower, a business competitor of the allegedly dishonest importer, received a $286,000 whistleblower reward.

Industrial tools firm King Kong Tools has paid $1.9 million to settle a whistleblower lawsuit alleging it transshipped Chinese merchandise through Germany—fraudulently redesignating them as German origin—to circumvent applicable customs duties.

Whistleblower China Pacificarbide—which competes with King Kong in the industrial tools market—filed the lawsuit under the False Claims Act.  It will receive $286,000 or approximately 15% of the recovery as a whistleblower reward, in addition to attorney’s fees, according to the U.S. Department of Justice, which intervened in the case.

The former logistics staffer who reported the import-duty evasion will receive a $152K whistleblower reward.

An importer of  Chinese-manufactured ready-to-assemble furniture sold through such retailers as Walmart and Wayfair has paid $798,334 to resolve whistleblower claims it fraudulently used undervalued commercial invoices to reduce its import-duty obligations.

A former employee of Homestar North America alerted the U.S. government to the importer’s alleged double-invoicing scheme by filing a lawsuit under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act and will receive $151,000—approximately 19% of the recovery—as a whistleblower reward, according to the U.S. Justice Department, which intervened in the case.

Former employees who blew the whistle on the duty evasion will share a $500k whistleblower reward.

ADCO Industries, a Texas-based importer of industrial products, has agreed to shell out $2.5 million to end a whistleblower lawsuit alleging it knowingly undervalued merchandise from China to fraudulently reduce its customs duties.

Two former ADCO employees initiated the customs-fraud whistleblower lawsuit under the False Claims Act and will share a whistleblower reward of $500,000, according to the U.S. Justice Department, which intervened in the case.

Samsung C&T America allegedly declared incorrect HTS tariff classifications on its customs entry documents.

A U.S. unit of the South Korean conglomerate Samsung (KSE: KRX:028260.KS) has agreed to pay $1 million to settle allegations it violated the False Claims Act by knowingly misclassifying imports to evade customs duties.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Samsung C&T America knowingly filed customs entry documents misdescribing and listing inaccurate U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule classification codes for footwear it imported from China and Vietnam.

International Vitamin Corp. allegedly violated the False Claims Act by misclassifying imports from China as “duty free.”

International Vitamin Corp., a producer of store-brand vitamins and supplements, has agreed to pay $22.8 million to resolve allegations it violated the False Claims Act by knowingly evading customs duties on imports from China.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, IVC misclassified imports of raw ingredients and bulk vitamins as duty free when, in fact, those goods were subject to substantial customs duties.

High Life LLC allegedly reported phony “first sale” prices on import declarations filed with CBP.

New York apparel wholesaler High Life LLC has paid the U.S. government $1.3 million to resolve allegations it violated the False Claims Act by underdeclaring the value of its imports.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, High Life knowingly reported fictitious “first sale” prices on customs entry documents filed with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, thereby fraudulently reducing the company’s import duties.