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"Any Degree of Fraud" Bars Contractor Claims

Client Alert | less than 1 min read | 10.13.14

In Laguna Constr. Co. (Oct. 7), the ASBCA denied a $2.9 million claim for unpaid invoices because two of Laguna's employees had pled guilty to accepting subcontractor kickbacks under some, but not all, of the task orders under appeal. The Board imputed the fraud to the company and, applying the doctrine of "antecedent breach," held that the contractor's material breach excused the government's subsequent failure to pay for the completed and invoiced work.


Insights

Client Alert | 3 min read | 09.15.25

Senate Finance Committee Looking to Take White River to the Train Station, Confirms DOJ Investigation into Tribal Tax Credits

On August 19, 2025, the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance (“Senate Finance Committee”) sent Paul Atkins, Chairman, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) a letter calling on the SEC to investigate White River Energy Corp (“White River”). In the letter, the Senate Finance Committee confirmed a criminal investigation into White River related to the sale of so-called “tribal tax credits” that according to both Congress and the IRS, do not exist. The letter further states that White River allegedly earned millions of dollars selling these credits and has not been forthcoming with investors regarding the existence of the criminal investigation. According to the Senate Finance Committee, White River has failed to file financial disclosure documents with the SEC since March 15, 2024, missing six consecutive reporting periods. The letter instructs White River to disclose the existence of the DOJ criminal tax investigation, and calls on the SEC to take action if White River fails to do so....