A North Dakota defense contractor has agreed to pay $2 million to settle a qui tam (whistleblower) lawsuit within which the relators alleged that the company “had repeatedly shortchanged the armor in up to 2.2 million helmets for the military, including those for the first troops sent to Iraq and Afghanistan.” The qui tam case was filed in the United States District Court, District of North Dakota, by attorney Andrew J. Campanelli, as attorney for the relators.
While the relators’ share of the recovery was $406,350, they stated “It was never about the money, it was about the soldiers.” They were most pleased with the fact that the helmets which contained the defective armor were going to be replaced to ensure that U.S. soldiers got the protection they deserved.
