Investigations
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November 3, 2020
Federal Transit Administration and Chief Operating Officer Agree to Voluntary Exclusion
On November 3, 2020, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) entered into a voluntary exclusion agreement with Ami Desai, Chief Operating Officer of VJ Associates (VJA) Inc. of Suffolk, VJA of New England, VJA of Washington DC, and VJA of New Jersey, from participating in covered transactions for a period of 3 years.
According to the information, from at least January 2007 through August 2008, VJA of Suffolk, the largest and original VJA entity, conspired with other VJA entities to engage in a scheme to bill bogus hours to time and expense projects. The entities created false timekeeping records overstating the number of hours that VJA of Suffolk employees actually worked, and billed projects for fees based on those false timekeeping records. Employees openly discussed improper billing as “juicing” and “tagging” hours in order to maximize bills on Government projects.
Note: A suspension or debarment frequently covers a specific period of time. Please consult the System for Award Management to determine whether a company or individual is currently suspended or debarred.