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'Whistleblower' series to explore Northrop Grumman fraud case
A former Northrop Grumman auditor who successfully sued the defense contractor discusses the case and its effect on his family on an episode of the new CBS series “Whistleblower” that is scheduled to air Friday.
James Holzrichter and test engineer Rex Robinson, who died in 2003, accused Northrop Grumman of fraud at its Rolling Meadows facility in a landmark 1989 lawsuit. Holzrichter, who tracked inventory for the company, says on “Whistleblower” he believed Northrop Grumman was double- or triple-billing expensive parts to the U.S. government and “this was adding up to the tune of millions of dollars.” He said he smuggled copies of documents by taping them to his body to give to federal agents later.
Though it denied wrongdoing, Northrop Grumman paid $134 million in 2005 to resolve claims it overcharged for materials used to make devices for warplanes; inflated costs and misrepresented the progress of a radar jamming device for the B-2 stealth bomber. Chicago lawyer Michael I. Behn represented Holzrichter and Robinson.
Holzrichter lost his job and said he moved his family into a homeless shelter and delivered newspapers and managed a gas station to make ends meet. He ended up winning millions of dollars from the case, but it dragged on for years.
“The entire family goes through everything. The cost is so much,” Holzrichter says in a clip of the show posted online Tuesday.
Attorney Alex Ferrer, a former judge and police officer, hosts “Whistleblower,” which premiered this month and airs at 7 p.m. Fridays.
James Holzrichter and test engineer Rex Robinson, who died in 2003, accused Northrop Grumman of fraud at its Rolling Meadows facility in a landmark 1989 lawsuit. Holzrichter, who tracked inventory for the company, says on “Whistleblower” he believed Northrop Grumman was double- or triple-billing expensive parts to the U.S. government and “this was adding up to the tune of millions of dollars.” He said he smuggled copies of documents by taping them to his body to give to federal agents later.
Though it denied wrongdoing, Northrop Grumman paid $134 million in 2005 to resolve claims it overcharged for materials used to make devices for warplanes; inflated costs and misrepresented the progress of a radar jamming device for the B-2 stealth bomber. Chicago lawyer Michael I. Behn represented Holzrichter and Robinson.
Holzrichter lost his job and said he moved his family into a homeless shelter and delivered newspapers and managed a gas station to make ends meet. He ended up winning millions of dollars from the case, but it dragged on for years.
“The entire family goes through everything. The cost is so much,” Holzrichter says in a clip of the show posted online Tuesday.
Attorney Alex Ferrer, a former judge and police officer, hosts “Whistleblower,” which premiered this month and airs at 7 p.m. Fridays.
