Hewlett-Packard has agreed to pay $16.25 million in a settlement with the Justice Department after an extensive investigation into allegations the company defrauded a federal program that brings Internet connections and computers to schools and libraries.
Justice and the Federal Communications Commission, which oversees the federal E-Rate program, had conducted the investigation into the computer and print giant in response to tips from whistelblowers, the FCC said in a statement.
The investigation looked into contractors working with HP and other companies, who allegedly lavished gifts on Dallas Independent School District and Houston
Independent School District personnel to get information and win contracts to sell $17 million in HP equipment to those schools.
Those gifts included meals, entertainment, trips on a yacht and tickets to the 2004 Super Bowl.
TVNL Comment: When corporations break the law, they pay a fine that is often a small fraction of their profit margin. When ordinary citizens do the same, on a far, far smaller scale, they do jail time. Justice is for the privileged few. Remember that.