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The government awards contracts to companies with histories of misconduct such as contract fraud and environmental, ethics, and labor violations. In the absence of a centralized federal database listing instances of misconduct, the Project On Government Oversight (POGO) is providing such data. We believe that it will lead to improved contracting decisions and public access to information about how the government spends hundreds of billions of taxpayer money each year on goods and services. Report an instance of misconduct »

Northrop Grumman

U.S. v. Ruks (Falsely Certifying Ship and Submarine Inspections)

Date: 05/06/2011 (Date of Plea)

Misconduct Type: Government Contract Fraud

Enforcement Agency: Defense – Navy

Contracting Party: Defense - Navy

Court Type: Criminal

Amount: $200

Disposition: Pleaded Guilty

Synopsis: Robert Raymond Ruks, who worked as an inspector for Northrup Grumman Shipbuilding, Newport News, pleaded guilty to two counts of making false statements by falsely certifying that he had inspected the hulls of Navy ships and submarines. Ruks had falsely certified that he inspected three lift pad welds on a Navy submarine and lied to the Naval Criminal Investigative Service about other ship and submarine hulls that he had failed to inspect. Subsequent re-inspection of all the welds certified by Ruks, which required almost 19,000 work hours and cost approximately $654,000, found a defective critical pipe joint weld on a submarine. At the time of his plea, Ruks was ordered to pay a $200 special assessment.