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Legal Proceedings
3 Months Ended
Aug. 31, 2021
Legal Proceedings  
Legal Proceedings

Note 17 – Legal Proceedings

We are not a party to any material pending legal proceeding (including any governmental or environmental proceeding) other than routine litigation incidental to our business, except for the following:

Department of Justice Investigation

As previously reported, the U.S. Department of Justice (“DoJ”), acting through the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois, conducted an investigation of AAR Airlift Group, Inc. (“Airlift”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of AAR CORP., under the federal civil False Claims Act (“FCA”). The investigation related to Airlift’s performance of several contracts awarded by the U.S. Transportation Command (“TRANSCOM”) concerning the operations and maintenance of rotary-wing and fixed-wing aircraft in Afghanistan and Africa, as well as several U.S. Navy contracts. In June 2018, the DoJ informed Airlift that part of the investigation was precipitated by a lawsuit filed under the qui tam provisions of the FCA by a former employee of Airlift.

In June 2021, Airlift and the DoJ reached an agreement to settle the FCA investigation and related matters for approximately $11.5 million which concluded the DoJ investigation into Airlift’s contracts with TRANSCOM and the U.S. Navy. As part of the settlement, Airlift and AAR did not admit any wrongdoing.

We recognized charges of $11.0 million in discontinued operations in fiscal 2021 related to this agreement and related matters. As of May 31, 2021, our reserve was $12.7 million and payment for the entire matter was made in the first quarter of fiscal 2022.

Self-Reporting of Potential Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Violations

The Company retained outside counsel to investigate possible violations of the Company’s Code of Conduct, the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and other applicable laws, relating to the Company’s activities in Nepal and South Africa. Based on these investigations, in fiscal 2019, we self-reported these matters to the DoJ, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the UK Serious Fraud Office. The Company is fully cooperating with the reviews by these agencies, although we are unable at this time to predict what action, if any, they may take.