National Procurement Fraud Task Force (NPFTF)

National Procurement Fraud Task Force (NPFTF)

Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew W. Friedrich

Matthew W. Friedrich
Acting Assistant Attorney General
Criminal Division

The National Procurement Fraud Task Force was created on October 10, 2006, to promote the prevention, early detection and prosecution of procurement fraud. In announcing the formation of the Task Force, former Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty explained, "Procurement fraud cheats American taxpayers and harms the government's efforts to obtain the goods and services needed for its mission. At a time of heightened concern for our nation's security, every tax dollar is precious."

The Task Force is chaired by the Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division, and includes the FBI, the Department of Justice Inspector General and other federal Inspectors General, defense investigative agencies, federal prosecutors from United States Attorneys offices across the country, as well as the Criminal, Civil, Antitrust and Tax Divisions of the Department of Justice. The Task Force's emphasis will be to increase civil and criminal enforcement where it can have the greatest effect, including defective pricing, product substitution, misuse of classified and procurement sensitive information, false claims, grant fraud, labor mischarging, fraud involving foreign military sales, ethics and conflict of interest violations, and public corruption associated with procurement fraud. The Task Force also will focus on maximizing information sharing and take significant leadership in addressing issues such as grant fraud, relations with the private sector, training and legislation. As former Assistant Attorney General Fisher has stated, "The public needs to have faith in the integrity of the procurement system and know that anyone who is cheating the system will be held accountable."

Official Highlights

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December 2008
NPFTF Progress Report

The Task Force, now in its second year of operation, has effectively bolstered the investigation of fraud, waste, and abuse in Federal contracts by making significant progress toward the Task Force's objectives. The Task Force has increased coordination with the law enforcement community, including the FBI, Inspectors General, and defense-related agencies. The Task Force's working committees have made significant progress toward meeting their goals and have removed barriers to preventing, deterring, and prosecuting procurement fraud.
(Read the Full Report)

January 08, 2009
Retired Army Major Pleads Guilty in Bribery Scheme Involving Department of Defense Contracts in Kuwait

WASHINGTON — A retired major in the U.S. Army pleaded guilty today to charges of bribery and making a false statement arising out of his activities as both a contracting specialist and a contracting officer at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, from 2005 through 2007, Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Friedrich of the Criminal Division and Acting Assistant Attorney General Deborah A. Garza of the Antitrust Division announced.
(Read the Full Release)

January 7, 2009
Couple Indicted on Mail Fraud, Conspiracy Charges for Kickback Scheme against Railroad

COLUMBUS – A federal grand jury here indicted Ronald L. Zullig, age 54, and his wife, Jean A. Zullig, age 52, charging them with conspiracy and fraud arising from their roles in a kickback scheme stemming from Ronald Zullig’s employment with the Ohio Central Railroad from October, 2000 through July 2006. If convicted, both face up to five years in prison and fines of $250,000 for the mail fraud conspiracy 20 years and a fine of $500,000 for the money laundering conspiracy.
(Read the Full Release)

January 6, 2009
Chicago Advertising Firm Pays United States $15.5 Million to Settle Overbilling Allegations on Army Contract

WASHINGTON -Leo Burnett Company, a Chicago advertising firm, has agreed to pay the U.S. $15.5 million to settle allegations that the company submitted false claims to the U.S. Army, the Justice Department announced today. The firm had a contract from 2000 to 2005 with the Army to provide advertising services for the military service's recruiting mission.
(Read the Full Release)


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