DOJ orders apparel importer Alexis to pay $7.7M over underpaid customs duties

Women’s apparel importer Alexis agreed to pay nearly $7.7 million to settle allegations, first raised by a whistleblower, that it intentionally underpaid customs duties, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Alexis admitted as part of the settlement that it violated the False Claims Act by undervaluing the clothing it imported into the U.S., the DOJ announced in a press release Friday, which acted on behalf of U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP).

The case was first brought under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. The whistleblower case was disputed by the U.S. and Alexis and dismissed on Thursday, the DOJ said.