SDTX and RI USAOs jointly resolve False Claims Act violation

HOUSTON – U.S. Attorney’s Offices in two districts have resolved a civil investigation into RPS Group Inc, a global professional services firm, that will result in a recovery of over $465,000, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani and Zachary A. Cunha, U.S. Attorneys for the Southern District of Texas and Rhode Island, respectively. 

RPS Group Inc. held several contracts with the federal government. Between June 2011 and July 2020, in order to maximize revenue and avoid hitting budgetary ceilings, the company unlawfully engaged in a practice of moving recorded labor hours between government projects with different funding sources, according to the allegations in the investigation. RPS also allegedly submitted invoices for work that was not performed on government contracts and falsely inflated employee billing rates. These practices occurred across numerous government contracts and resulted in the submission of false invoices to multiple government agencies, according to the allegations.

The conduct was brought to the government’s attention both through an RPS  corporate disclosure and through complaints four former employees had raised. As part of a civil settlement, RPS Group Inc. will pay $465,293.

At the time of the conduct alleged in this matter, RPS Group’s headquarters in the United States were located in Houston with a subsidiary in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. Another company has since acquired it.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jill Venezia and Bethany Wong of the Southern District of Texas and Rhode Island, respectively, litigated this matter.

Department of Commerce - Office of Inspector General (OIG), Army Criminal Investigation Division, Coast Guard Investigative Service, General Services Administration – OIG, National Aeronautics and Space Administration – OIG, Department of Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Environmental Protection Agency – OIG, Department of Interior - OIG, and Naval Criminal Investigative Service.