Grand Rapids Reporter

U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan, Mark Totten, announced that David G. Zelmer from Niles, Michigan, has agreed to pay $87,500. This settlement resolves allegations that Zelmer violated the False Claims Act by obtaining federal crop insurance and Farm Service Agency (FSA) benefits for crops he did not farm.

"Michigan farmers depend on federal programs to provide economic security," said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. "But the wellbeing of these programs depends on farmers telling the truth and playing by the rules. My office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate allegations of false claims to these federal programs."

The United States alleges that Zelmer owned land in Berrien County but leased parts of it to another farmer between 2015 and 2017. Despite this lease agreement, Zelmer allegedly certified himself as the sole producer of crops on those lands when applying for FSA benefit payments during those years. Similar certifications were made when obtaining federal crop insurance coverage from the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation.

"The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General is committed to combatting crop insurance fraud through civil enforcement under the False Claims Act," stated Shantel R. Robinson, Special Agent-In-Charge at USDA-Office of Inspector General. "Fraudulent activity within the crop insurance program undermines its intent and misdirects taxpayer dollars from which they were intended."

This resolution was achieved through a coordinated effort involving the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan, USDA-OIG, and USDA’s Risk Management Agency.

Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Hull prosecuted this case.

It should be noted that these claims are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.