The United States has filed a complaint against South Carolina-based Global Office Furniture (GOF) and its owner Malcom E. Smith, accusing them of violating the False Claims Act by underpaying customs duties on imported office chairs. The Department of Justice alleges that, between 2019 and 2023, GOF colluded with a Chinese manufacturer in a double-invoicing scheme to undervalue shipments, thereby reducing duty payments.
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The scheme reportedly involved submitting falsified entry summaries and invoices to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The government further claims that after learning of the investigation, the defendants attempted to destroy evidence.
The case, United States ex rel. Joyce v. Global Office Furniture, LLC, et al., is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Austin McCullough and James Leventis, with support from Customs and Homeland Security Investigations.
Authorities emphasised that the allegations remain unproven, and no determination of liability has yet been made.
Source: www.woodworkingnetwork.com
