VERIZON PAYS $93.5 MILLION TO SETTLE WHISTLEBLOWER SUIT FOR OVERCHARGING GOVERNMENT

Verizon has agreed to pay $93.5 million to settle a False Claims whistleblower lawsuit for billing the government tax-like surcharges that it wasn’t entitled to impose. According to the suit Verizon was charging for it’s own property taxes and other costs of doing business. Those other charges included carrier cost recovery charges, state telecom relay service surcharges and public utility commission fee surcharges. The whistleblower will receive between 15-25% of the $93.5 million ($14-$19 million) as allowed by the False Claims Act.