They still should release that lease if they did not pay the bonus. That is the law. We had alot of that happening in Williams County in the past 2 years with a company named Bakken Exploration. They ended up releasing around 5,000 acres of leases. I hope you understand that one bad apple does not reflect the crop.
If your brother would like to get something done if he has not done a lease, I can line him up with a good company.