Active duty military officer bucks command to blow whistleblower on corporate fraud by SAIC

Major defense contractor Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) has agreed to pay Uncle Same $6 million to settle allegations that it circumvented the bidding process allowing it to obtain lucrative contracts. The fraud and abuse in this case was brought forth by an active duty military officer who first reported his concerns up the chain of command but no one would listen. Airforce Lieutenant Colonel Timothy Ferner a career military man, was Chief of staff for the Coalition and irregular Warfare Center at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas. SAIC was awarded a multi million dollar contract to help CIWC develop enhanced warfare capabilities in the fight against terrorism. Lt. Col Ferner became suspicious that the normal contract procedures were bypassed and found out about a middlemen used by SAIC to arrange for the contract. In addition, Lt. Col. Ferner witnessed waste and abuse and the more contractors that came in, the less work was done. Lt. Col. Ferner was told by his superiors to keep quiet and they threatened to deploy him to Afghanistan while he was undergoing cancer treatment. He was ultimately fired from his job and given a menial position with no responsibility. He was represented by the James Foyer Law Firm. This is a story worth telling. Some smart Hollywood producer should pick up as this man’s courage in the face of his own illness and his career for the sake of his nation and w=for what is right. Congress should take a look at what his superiors did and did not do in the face of this fraud and to encourage others to come forward. Where is Lt. Col. Ferner and why haven’t we heard more? Under the False Claims Act, he will receive a portion of the $6 million recovery but he lost his career in the military for his courage. Stay tuned.