Former director of U.S. Navy’s steel supplier pleads guilty to falsifying strength tests
The former director of the U.S. Navy’s leading supplier of cast high-yield steel pleaded guilty Monday to falsifying test results that measure the strength of steel used in Navy submarines.
Elaine Thomas, former director of metallurgy at Bradken Inc., pleaded guilty to major fraud in U.S. District Court. She faces up to 10 years in prison and a $1 million fine. She is to be sentenced Feb. 14.
Bradken’s foundry in Tacoma produces castings that prime contractors use to fabricate submarine hulls, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington. The Navy requires that the steel meets certain standards for strength to ensure it doesn’t fail in a collision or under other circumstances.
The Tacoma foundry produced castings for 30 years and was acquired by Bradken in 2008. According to the release, many castings failed lab tests and did not meet the Navy’s standards. Federal prosecutors say Thomas, as director of metallurgy, falsified the tests to hide the fact that the steel had failed the tests.
Thomas falsified results for over 240 productions of steel, according to the release, which represent a substantial percentage of the castings Bradken produced for the Navy.
Court filings indicate there is no evidence that Bradken’s management was aware of the fraud until May 2017, according to the release. At that time, a lab employee discovered that test cards had been altered and that other discrepancies existed in Bradken’s records. In June 2020, Bradken entered into a deferred prosecution agreement, accepting responsibility for the offense and agreeing to take remedial measures.
Bradken also entered into a civil settlement, paying more than $10.8 million to resolve allegations that the foundry produced and sold substandard steel components for installation on U.S. Navy submarines.
The Navy has taken extensive steps to ensure the safe operation of the affected submarines, according to the release. Those measures will result in increased costs and maintenance as the substandard parts are monitored.
This story was originally published November 8, 2021 at 1:05 PM.
