The Justice Department announced that technology giant Hewlett-Packard will pay $55 million to settle claims that it paid kickbacks to systems integrators who recommended agencies buy HP products. In addition, the claim also resolves claims that HP’s 2002 contract with the GSA was defectively priced.

HP is one of a growing number of companies who are settling with the government or facing charges of violating the False Claims Act. They are the fourth of five companies to settle in allegations made by whistleblowers Norman Rille and Neal Roberts, who are entitled to a share of the recovery monies.  Rille and Roberts claimed that IBM, CSC, PWC, and Accenture received “influencer fees” for promoting HP products; only Accenture has not yet settled.

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