Eurofins Lancaster Laboratories Environmental to Pay $135,742 to Resolve False Claims Allegations Arising from Improper Testing of U.S. Army Water Samples

PHILADELPHIA – U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain announced today that Eurofins Lancaster Laboratories Environmental LLC, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, has agreed to pay the United States $135,742 to resolve allegations that it billed the U.S. Army for testing numerous water samples after a Eurofins employee had improperly manipulated or changed the results. Eurofins has terminated the employee, retested the affected samples, and implemented changes to prevent similar misconduct.

In 2017, an investigation was launched after Eurofins disclosed to the United States that between June 21, 2016 and September 14, 2017, an employee in its Lancaster, Pennsylvania laboratory had improperly manipulated quality control data and altered the test results of numerous water samples. Eurofins had contracted with the U.S. Army Public Health Command to test environmental samples, and Eurofins had billed the government $67,871 for testing of 1436 water samples, the results of which the employee had manipulated or altered. Eurofins disclosed information related to its former employee’s misconduct and cooperated with the government’s investigation.

“Government contractors are accountable for their employees’ conduct, especially when they are relied on to ensure the public health of personnel working and living on U.S. military facilities,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “This resolution should remind contractors of the high value we place on safeguarding our military service members and civilian employees. We commend Eurofins for coming forward to disclose the issues and for working with the federal government and other regulators to bring its practices into compliance with the law.”

“This settlement further demonstrates the resolve of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command’s Major Procurement Fraud Unit and our law enforcement partners to protect and defend the assets of the United States Army,” stated Special Agent in Charge L. Scott Moreland, of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command’s Major Procurement Fraud Unit’s Mid‑Atlantic Fraud Field Office.

“The settlement agreement announced today is the result of a joint investigative effort,” stated Leigh-Alistair Barzey, Special Agent in Charge of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) Northeast Field Office. “DCIS will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command to ensure the integrity of the Defense Department’s procurement system.”

The case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Mark J. Sherer with investigative assistance from auditor Denis Cooke, the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command’s Major Procurement Fraud Unit, and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service.