Blackwater employees to sue company

Two former Blackwater employees say they have new evidence the company overcharged the U.S. government for their security services in the Middle East. The ex-employees are suing Blackwater, currently known as Xe Services, for contract fraud, The (Norfolk) Virginian-Pilot reported. The former employees, Melan and Brad Davis, a married couple, are suing Blackwater on behalf of the government under the False Claims Act, which awards triple the damages to plaintiffs that successfully prove fraud. The pair are citing a report from an outside auditor, David Cotton, who claims Blackwater and State Department officials held back crucial information from him, which includes alleged bribing of foreign officials. Cotton is expected to testify in the trial, which is scheduled to begin July 25.