Antitrust Law Daily Wrap Up, ANTITRUST NEWS: Third guilty plea announced in New York Power Authority investigation, (Mar 28, 2016)
Organizations Mentioned:New York Office | New York Power Authority
By Greg Hammond, J.D.
An ongoing investigation into bid rigging, fraud, and tax-related offenses in the award of contracts by the New York Power Authority (NYPA) has netted a third guilty plea. Stephen Sheridan, a former senior investigator of the NYPA, pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud NYPA and for filing a false 2010 tax return to hide substantial income from the government, the Justice Department Antitrust Division has announced.
The Antitrust Division claims that between 2009 and 2012, Sheridan conspired to defraud NYPA in connection with a $3 million landscaping and maintenance contract. In particular, the Antitrust Division asserts that Sheridan assisted the owner of the landscaping company in skimming money that should have been paid to employees who performed the work and fraudulently received reimbursements from NYPA for fake, “no show” employees. In addition, Sheridan filed a false tax return for 2010.
The New York State Inspector General initiated the investigation, which has already resulted in two guilty other pleas. In June 2015, Thomas Delaney pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud NYPA and to a tax violation. Similarly, in December 2015, Peter Shine pleaded guilty to a tax violation. The ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Antitrust Division’s New York Office with the assistance of the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the New York State Office of the Inspector General.
News: Antitrust AntitrustDivisionNews