IT training packages pre-paid by the General Services Administration (in the form of “passports” or “vouchers”) for training government employees and in some cases never used  were the subject of a two-year-old  federal False Claims Act lawsuit that was settled yesterday, says DoJ. Learning Tree International Inc. will pay $4.5 million to end the investigation and lawsuit. Under their long-standing contract with GSA, Learning Tree was not supposed to bill the government until after services were rendered.  This policy was intended to prevent the government from paying for courses that its employees might ultimately never take and losing the pre-paid fee if Learning Tree failed to reimburse — exactly what the lawsuit alleged occurred.

To report False Claims Act violations, contact Frohsin & Barger.