PHILADELPHIA, PA — Four related food supply companies will pay $395,000 to settle claims that they misled the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) with mislabeled frozen ground beef patties. United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced the resolution this week.
The companies involved are Prime Food Sales, Inc. of Port Washington, N.Y., Prime Food Sales LLC of Dresher, Pennsylvania, JTP Sales, LLC of Atlanta, Georgia, and JW Sales & Distribution, LLC of Dresher, Pennsylvania. In early 2020, they sold 190,000 pounds of ground beef patties to the BOP for federal prisons nationwide.
The contract required the patties to be no more than six months old upon delivery. However, re-inspection labels on the packaging falsely suggested the patties were younger than six months when delivered. This led to non-compliance with the contract terms and false payment claims to the BOP.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office investigated in coordination with the Department of Justice’s Office of the Inspector General (DOJ-OIG). They began the investigation after the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service detained some patties in February 2020. The investigation found that while the labels misrepresented inspection dates and the patties’ age, their quality and safety were unaffected.
U.S. Attorney Romero emphasized the importance of adhering to contract specifications, especially those impacting food safety or quality. She noted that this resolution should serve as a warning to contractors supplying food to federal agencies.
Andrew B. Hartwell, Special Agent in Charge of DOJ OIG’s Fraud Detection Office, stated that providing mislabeled products deprives the government of what it bargained for and potentially risks inmate health and safety.
The settlement addresses civil claims under the False Claims Act, which remain allegations without any determination of liability. The companies did not admit liability but cooperated with the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Gerald B. Sullivan and Auditor Dawn Wiggins, supported by the DOJ OIG and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service, handled the matter.
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