Office of Investigations Press Releases
Stay up-to-date with the latest press releases from the NASA OIG.
Port Charlotte Man Pleads Guilty To Wire Fraud Related To NASA’s Space Launch System
February 29, 2024 Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Steven Lukens (54, Port Charlotte) has pleaded guilty to wire fraud. Lukens faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and has agreed to…
Former NASA Employee and Husband Charged in Mortgage Fraud Scheme
December 27, 2023 HOUSTON – A Missouri City couple has been indicted for orchestrating a fraudulent financing and refinancing mortgage loan scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Michigan Man Pleads Guilty to Investment Fraud Scheme Involving Fake NASA Contracts
October 12, 2023 RICHMOND, Va. – A Marne, Michigan, man pleaded guilty today to a wire fraud charge arising from his participation in an investment fraud scheme.
Stanford University Agrees to Pay $1.9 Million to Resolve Allegations That it Failed to Disclose Foreign Research Support in Federal Grant Proposals
October 2, 2023 Stanford University, located in Palo Alto, California, has agreed to pay $1.9 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting proposals for federal research grants that failed to disclose current and pending…
Beckley Man Pleads Guilty to COVID-19 Relief Fraud
September 8, 2023 BECKLEY, W.Va. – Mark William Bailey, 50, of Beckley, pleaded guilty today to theft of government monies, admitting he stole approximately $451,237.51 in COVID-19 relief loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid,…
Florida Contractors and Owner to Pay More than $7.7 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Relating to Procurement of Small Business Contracts
June 29, 2023 HX5 LLC and its owner and Chief Executive Officer, Margarita Howard, located in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, and an affiliated joint venture HX5 Sierra LLC, located in Cleveland, Ohio, have agreed to pay the United States $7,759,693.92…
Two Defendants Charged in Nationwide Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (“PUA”) Scheme
May 19, 2023 PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Ardavan Alamoutinia, 33, of Hummelstown, PA, and Aryanah Davison, 23, of Harrisburg, PA, were charged by Indictment with one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail…
Former Founder and CEO of Nanotechnology Company Sentenced to 48 Months In Prison
May 04, 2023 James Jeremy Barbera Defrauded Investors Out of More than $7 Million by Falsely Claiming His Company Developed a Breathalyzer Device to Detect Cancer.
3D Printing Company to Pay Up to $4.54 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations for Export Violations in Connection with NASA and DOD Contracts
February 27, 2023 A 3D printing company has agreed to pay the United States up to $4.54 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by improperly transmitting export-controlled technical data to China in violation of the…
Colorado Laser Technology Company Agrees to Pay More Than $400,000 to Resolve Allegations that it Improperly Used Foreign Subcontractors
February 13, 2023 DENVER – Vescent Photonics, Inc., a laser technology company located in Golden, Colorado, agreed to pay $402,621 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by using contractors located outside of the United States in…
Ohio State University Pays Over $875,000 to Resolve Allegations that It Failed to Disclose Professor’s Foreign Government Support (PR-2023-A)
November 10, 2023 The Ohio State University (OSU), a public university in Columbus, Ohio, has paid $875,689 to resolve civil allegations that it failed to disclose an OSU professor’s affiliations with and support from a foreign government in connection with…
Riverside Man Ordered to Spend 46 Months in Federal Prison in His Second Federal Case Stemming from Sale of Bogus Aircraft Parts (PR-2022-H)
September 26, 2022 Aman Khan, also known as Amanullah Khan, was sentenced to 46 months in prison and ordered to pay $1,538,054 in restitution for illegally selling counterfeit aircraft parts and falsifying supporting documentation. Khan’s intentional marketing of fraudulent and…
Companies and Owner Setence in Federal Court for Defrauding Government Agencies (PR-2022-II)
September 14, 2022 Miami, Florida – Juan Guillermo Gonzalez and his companies, Accelogic LLC and Intellectual Property Systems LLC (Intellep) have been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon for their roles in obtaining information from U.S. departments and…
Colorado Company and Owner Agree to Pay $625,000 for Alleged False Claims Related to Buy American Act (PR-2022-I)
September 07, 2022 DENVER – The Department of Justice announced today that Instec, Inc., located in Boulder, Colorado, and Dr. Zhong Zou, Instec’s owner and president, have agreed to pay $625,000 to resolve allegations that the company and Zou violated…
Romanian National Known As “Virus” Extradited For Operating “Bulletproof Hosting” Service That Facilitated The Distribution Of Destructive Malware (PR-2022-G)
July 19, 2022 Mihai Ionut Paunescu, also known as “Virus,” was extradited to the United States from Colombia for allegedly running a “bulletproof hosting” service that enabled cyber criminals to distribute the Gozi Virus, one of the most financially destructive…