New York Paralegal Blog

WASHINGTON - Verizon Communications Inc. has paid the United States $93,525,410.96 in order to resolve allegations that the company overcharged the General Services Administration (GSA) on invoices dealing with government-wide voice and data telecommunications services contracts, the Justice Department announced today. Verizon subsidiary MCI Communications Services Inc. dba Verizon Business Services is alleged to have invoiced GSA for a variety of federal, state and local taxes and surcharges in violation of the contracts or applicable regulations in connection with the FTS2001 and FTS2001 Bridge contracts. The department’s joint investigation with GSA’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) found that Verizon and MCI submitted false claims under the contracts for the reimbursement of property taxes, common carrier recovery charges and unallowable surcharges, charges that are not directly reimbursable under the FTS2001 contracts.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (October 5, 2009) - Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that his office has reached an agreement with Rochester-based Frontier Communications, Inc. over its failure to properly notify consumers about substantial early termination fees for its services. In January 2009, Attorney General Cuomo’s Office began investigating Frontier Communications and its subsidiaries after receiving dozens of complaints from consumers who were unexpectedly charged early termination fees.