Community Corner

Report: Settlement Reached Between Potomac Man Jailed in Cuba and Bethesda-Based Employer

Alan Gross sued Bethesda-based Development Alternatives Inc. and the U.S. government for failing to provide adequate training for his assignment in Cuba. The settlement reached on Thursday is only with Development Alternatives Inc.

Potomac resident Alan Gross—who has been in a Cuban prison for nearly three and one-half years—has "settled a negligence suit accusing his employer of mishandling risks associated with his mission" in Cuba, Bloomberg Businessweek reported.

Three years ago last December, Gross was sentenced to 15 years in a Cuban prison after a Cuban court convicted him of working for U.S. government intelligence. Gross and his supporters maintain he was in Cuba working as a contractor to bring cell phones and computers to the country, Potomac Patch reported.

"Gross, 64, sued Bethesda, Maryland-based Development Alternatives Inc. and the U.S. government in November, alleging they didn’t provide adequate training to guard his safety and refused to pull him out of Cuba after he expressed concerns about the dangers of his assignment," Businessweek reported.

Find out what's happening in Potomacwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The lawsuit was for $60 million, The Republic reported. A settlement was filed in a federal court in Washington, DC, on Thursday. The settlement amount has not been disclosed, and the agreement only covers Development Alternatives Inc., not the federal government, The Republic reported.

Earlier this year, Rep. Christopher Van Hollen (D-District 8) met with Gross while on an official congressional trip to Cuba led by Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), The Washington Post reported.

Find out what's happening in Potomacwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

While Van Hollen was in Cuba, he "indicated to President Raul Castro that the release of Mr. Gross is essential if we are going to improve the relationship between the United States and Cuba—something I believe is in the interest of both of our countries," Van Hollen said.

During his stay in prison, Gross' health has declined, and he has "developed a growth on his right shoulder and has lost more than 100 pounds, the result, [his wife Judith Gross] fears, of some type of cancer," WUSA9 reported.

Read more about the settlement on the websites of Bloomberg Businessweek and The Republic.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here