U.S. sues St. Catharines company for defective bullet-proof vests

Lincoln Fabrics, a St. Catharines-based maker of bullet-proof vests, knowingly made them out of material which degrades over time, says a U.S. lawsuit. The company is accused of jeopardizing the lives of those in law enforcement.

WASHINGTON — A St. Catharines, Ontario, company which manufacturers bullet-proof vests for law enforcement agents has been sued by the United States government. The U.S. lawsuit accuses Lincoln Fabrics and its U.S. subsidiary of knowingly selling bullet-proof vests made of woven Zylon which the company knew degraded over time rendering the shield ineffective. The lawsuit accuses the company of putting law enforcement lives at risk. "The United States today (Monday) sued Lincoln Fabrics Ltd., a Canadian company, and Lincoln Fabrics Inc., aka Lincoln Textiles Inc., its American subsidiary, under the False Claims Act in connection with the companies’ weaving and sale of defective Zylon fabric which was used as the key ballistic material in bullet-proof vests," the U.S. Justice Department announced. "The United States alleges that the companies were aware that the woven Zylon degraded quickly over time, especially in hot and humid conditions, and that the companies knew that this degradation rendered bullet-proof vests containing woven Zylon unfit for use," the U.S. Department of Justice said. "The government further alleges that, despite this knowledge, the companies did not inform the United States or stop selling woven Zylon for ballistic applications," the DOJ said. “Companies that knowingly sell the government defective bullet-proof vests not only submit false claims, they put the lives of our law enforcement personnel at risk,” said Tony West, Assistant Attorney General for the Department’s Civil Division. “The United States takes very seriously allegations that these two companies knowingly participated in the manufacture and sale of defective bullet-proof vests," he said in a statement. The government has previously settled for more than $47 million with five other entities that were involved in the manufacture or sale of defective Zylon vests, including two other weavers of ballistic Zylon, said the statement issued in Washington. The company's response to the lawsuit is expected to be filed in the coming days.