by Ben Vernia | January 30th, 2023
On January 19, District of Columbia U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras issued a decision following a four-week bench trial in United States ex rel. Morsell v. NortonLifelock, Inc., No. 1:12-CV-00800. See 2023 WL 314506 (D.D.C. Jan. 19, 2023).
The whistleblower was an employee of Symantec (NortonLifelock’s former name), who alleged that the company had failed to disclose all discounts when it submitted information to the General Services Administration to obtain a Multiple Award Schedule contract. The United States and several states intervened in the whistleblower’s suit, and following discovery and a partial grant of summary judgment, Judge Contreras held a four-week bench trial.
He found the company liable to the government for $1,299,950.16 in penalties and damages, and awarded another $379,500 in penalties to the state of California.
