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About POGO's Federal Contractor Misconduct Database (FCMD)

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 »

General Atomics

Banks v. General Atomics (Breach of Contract)

Date: 11/22/2011 (Date of Verdict)

Misconduct Type: Non-governmental Contract Fraud

Enforcement Agency: Non-Governmental

Contracting Party: Non-Governmental

Court Type: Civil

Amount: $8,700,000

Disposition: Judgment Against Defendant

Synopsis: Former General Atomics employee Paul Banks alleged that General Atomics failed to honor a promise of partial ownership in a new “Photonics” unit the company formed in 2000. In November 2011, a California state court jury found in Banks' favor on his breach of contract and false promise claims and awarded him $8.9 million in compensatory and $5.8 million in punitive damages. In July 2012, the court entered a final judgment reducing the compensatory damage award to $2.9 million.