(JTA) — The U.S. Agency for International Development reportedly paid Alan Gross $3.2 million as part of a settlement with his employer, Development Alternatives.
The settlement, announced Tuesday in a statement by USAID, aimed to resolve claims pending before the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals. The statement did not name a figure, but media reports, citing a spokesperson for the federal agency, put the amount at $3.2 million.
“The settlement, agreed in principle in November, calls for payment by USAID for unanticipated claims under the cost-reimbursement contract, including claims related to Mr. Alan Gross. The settlement avoids the cost, delay and risks of further proceedings, and does not constitute an admission of liability by either party,” the statement said.
Gross, 65, a Jewish-American contractor, was released earlier this month after five years in a Cuban prison. He was arrested in Cuba in 2009 after setting up Internet access for the Jewish community there while working as a contractor for USAID.
In 2012, Gross and his wife, Judy, filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government and Development Alternatives charging that Gross should have been better trained and informed of the risks before going to Cuba. The couple settled in May with Development Alternatives for an undisclosed amount.
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