Articles Posted in White Collar Crime Highlights

On Septmeber 19, 2008, Kwik-Chek Food Stores, Inc., a Texas based convenience store and one of its agents, Jarrod Thomas, were charged for conspiring to fix retail gasoline and diesel fuel prices sold in Antler, OK. The conspiracy took place from early 2002 to June 2007. Kwik-Chek, based in Bonham, Texas, distributes and sells gasoline…

On September 10, 2008, the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) charged Lindsey B. Holt, president of Architectural Products Co. Inc., Humberto Lopez, vice president of El Paso Steel Doors and Frames, Inc. and their respective companies with conspiracy to rig bids and allocate customers for certain contracts for sale of doors and other hardware for various…

On August 26, 2008, Edward P. Goldblatt pled guilty to fraud and tax evasion as a former purchasing warehouse assistant at the New York Power Authority (“NYPA”). Headquartered in Albany, NY, the NYPA is a non-profit energy corporation established by the State of New York providing low cost power to government agencies, municipalities, and private…

On July 31, 2008, Bennet Environmental Inc. (“BEI”), a Canadian soil treatment company, pled guilty and agreed to pay $1 million criminal fine for its role in a conspiracy to defraud the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) at a EPA designated Superfund site, Federal Creosote in Manville, NJ. According to the charges, BEI inflated prices…

On July 29, 2008, Paul Wilkinson and Christopher Cartwright, two U.S. Department of Defense (“DOD”) contractors, pled guilty to defraud the United States, commit wire fraud and steal trade secrets from Matthew Bittenbender, another U.S. DOD contractor. In a three-count indictment returned on Dec. 5, 2007, and unsealed in U.S. District Court in Baltimore, Christopher…

On June 28, 2008, Manuli Rubber Industries SpA (“Manuli”), an Italian marine hose manufacturer, and Robert L. Furness, the former president of Manuli’s subsidiary Plantation, pled guilty for their role in a worldwide conspiracy to rig bids, fix prices, and allocate market share in the marine hose industry. Manuli agreed to pay $2 million in…

On July 28, 2008, Timothy Pfeil, a former executive for SAS Cargo Group A/S (“SAS”), pled guilty to serve six months in prison for his role in a worldwide conspiracy to fix air cargo rates for shipments to and from the United States. Mr. Pfeil, the second airline executive charged in this conspiracy, will cooperate…

On July 23, 2008, JMJ Environmental Inc. (“JMJ”), a wastewater treatment company, its owner, John Drimak Jr., and Norman Stoerr, a former contracts administrator, pled guilty to various counts of bid rigging, fraud, and tax evasion. These charges were all in connection with sub-contracts for wastewater treatment services at two Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) designated…

On July 11, 2008, James P. Robinson, a former Divisional Merchandising Manager for Flooring at Home Depot, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and two counts of tax evasion related to a scheme to defraud Home Depot. Mr. Robinson participated in a conspiracy to defraud Home Depot by taking kickbacks…

On July 1, 2008, the Department of Justice’s (“DOJ”) Antitrust Division decided to allow External Compliance Officer Inc., a New Jersey based anti-money laundering consulting company, to create a database that would allow money transmitters to better understand the backgrounds of prospective agents. A money transmitter is a company that provides electronic money transfer services…