NORFOLK, Va. (CN) - Federal prosecutors say an air freight company paid more than $40,000 in kickbacks to get Pentagon purchase orders and subcontracts. It sued Givens Air Freight dba Superior Air Freight and two of its managers in Federal Court.
Givens Air Freight gave 402 "items of value" worth nearly $44,000 to employees of government prime contractors, in exchange for Pentagon purchase orders and subcontracts worth more than $2 million, according to the complaint.
Givens/Superior, which provides domestic and international freight forwarding services, and gave "gifts, cash, entertainment, free accommodations in the Outer Banks of North Carolina and travel expenses" to federal officials or contract officials in exchange for more work, prosecutors say.
Also sued are Daniel W. Whitehurst, of Chesapeake, Va., a national accounts manager, and Mark Lamb, of Virginia Beach, vice president and general manager.
Prosecutors say the men doled out the kickbacks for 6 years, from 2000 to 2006. Uncle Sam seeks civil penalties of twice the amount of the kickbacks, but not more than $10,000 for each violation.
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