Forwarder will pay $28 million to settle suit

Forwarder will pay $28 million to settle suit An air freight forwarder for the military pled guilty to improperly billing the government and will pay a $28 million under a settlement agreement announced late last week.
   National Air Cargo, based in the Buffalo, N.Y. suburb of Orchard Park, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York, to a felony charge of making a material false statement to the government, according to the U.S. Justice Department.
   The company is owned by Christopher Alf, of Lakeview, N.Y., and Boca Raton, Fla.
   The U.S. Attorney said the firm admitted falsifying a document to show an “on time” delivery date to the government, when, in fact, the delivery had been made later than the date reported.
   The plea resolved an ongoing multiagency investigation into National Air Cargo’s domestic billing and shipping practices.
   In addition to the felony resolution, the company has agreed, upon acceptance of the plea and by the time of sentencing, to make payments totaling $28 million including a fine of $8.8 million and $4.4 million in restitution to the United States.
   The government said such payment would represent the largest criminal monetary resolution in the history of the Western District of New York.