Harman Tariff Fraud Deal Signals Renewed Government Focus on FCA Cases

Michael Granston was quoted in a Global Investigations Review article about the U.S. government’s intensified focus on tariff‑related False Claims Act enforcement, particularly as recent settlements highlight heightened scrutiny of goods imported from China.

Michael noted that many of the Trump administration’s tariff increases had been directed at China, but he did not expect the DOJ’s enforcement efforts to be limited to that country.

Michael said, “I would anticipate that the administration will be interested in pursuing enforcement of entities that evade tariffs, regardless of the source of the goods, if they underpay their tariffs to a significant degree.”

Michael added that heightened enforcement is likely to continue even if certain tariff regimes face legal challenges.

Michael said, “Regardless of what happens to the IEEPA tariffs, I think we'll continue to see heightened enforcement. I think we will continue to see a commitment to heightened tariff enforcement by this administration, since the IEEPA tariffs are only some of the tariffs that are facing importers.