Employee of Fort Worth aviation company guilty of overbilling government

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Apr. 9--A woman has pleaded guilty to her role in overbilling the federal government by submitting fraudulent invoices for a Fort Worth company contracted to help rewire the Black Hawk helicopter. The bills, which eventually reached $256,210, were invoiced to the Defense Finance and Account Service on behalf of the U.S. Army, according to court documents.

On Friday, Lisa Michelle Hall pleaded guilty to one count of false claim against the United States for billing 327 hours of work which had not been done by her employer, Texas Aviation Services of Fort Worth, according to federal court documents. The company is not a part of the criminal action.

Hall admitted in a government document known as a factual resume to fraudulent billing that paid Texas Aviation Service for work which had not been done. The invoices were submitted between October 2004 and December 2005.

The felony charge accused Hall of presenting a "false and fraudulent material claim" to a contractor for work completed under a U.S. Army contract to rewire MH-60 Black Hawks. The helicopters were being converted to a UH-60A Army National Guard configuration.

Sentencing is set for July 16. Hall faces up to five years in jail and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gain to the defendant or loss to the victim.