A senior scientist at the National Renewable Energy Lab in Golden paid $80,000 to the federal government to settle allegations that he double-billed the government and filed false travel reimbursement forms.
Dr. Miguel A. Contreras also used equipment owned by the U.S. Department of Energy facility while consulting for three private energy companies for his own personal gain, according to a Thursday news release by Jeffrey Dorschner, spokesman for Acting U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer.
Contreras agreed to pay the settlement as part of a civil case. No criminal charges were filed against him because of the higher level of proof required in criminal cases, Dorschner said.
The Golden facility is managed and operated by The Alliance for Sustainable Energy under contract to the Department of Energy.
Contreras acknowledged double billed the government on numerous occasions in 2008 and 2009.
The government further asserted that Contreras also misled his supervisors and investigators about the nature of his private consulting work. Investigators claimed Contreras committed up to 37 violations of the False Claims Act.
Contreras continues to work for the NREL, Dorschner said.
