SYRACUSE N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) – Amphenol Corporation has agreed to pay the United States $18 million dollars to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims for electrical connectors to the United States government.

According to a U.S. Attorney’s Office press release, Amphenol sold electrical connectors that failed to fully comply with applicable government regulations and contract specifications. The U.S. Military and government buys tanks, fighter jets, rockets, missiles, and other equipment and weapon systems containing electrical connectors manufactured by Amphenol.

Government contracts and regulations calling for the use of Military Specification (MS) connectors require that both the supplier (Amphenol) and the product supplied (MS electrical connectors) meet all military specifications for the manufacture and testing of those electrical connectors.

Amphenol has admitted that from 2012 to 2017, it manufactured and sold the following Military Specification electrical connectors directly and indirectly to the U.S. Government that did not fully conform to the applicable connectors. Amphenol also failed to timely complete required retention of qualification testing, failed to timely report required testing results to Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) , and failed to immediately report certain testing failures to DLA.

“Defense contractors agree to follow strict manufacturing and testing protocols so that taxpayers receive the equipment they pay for,” U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of New York, Carla B. Freedman said. “These high standards also ensure that our service members have the reliable equipment that they expect and deserve. Today’s $18 million settlement holds Amphenol accountable for its failure to meet those high standards for specific electrical connectors.”