This scheme was an affront to taxpayers, MTA riders, and the many honest DBEs that legitimately qualify for the federal program that these companies defrauded. MTA Inspector General Carolyn Pokorny said: “It is outrageous and against the law to use a minority- or women-owned business as a front to swindle precious taxpayer dollars from the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program, which is meant to ensure an equal playing field for DBEs. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the rest of our law enforcement partners on this matter for this successful result.” Developing a fair and equal environment is how we do business in New York City and that is why contractors must follow the laws advancing participation by minority- and women-owned businesses. We will hold accountable those who conspire to misrepresent their compliance with program requirements to obtain taxpayer supported contracts, thereby undermining the DBE program’s goal of expanding opportunities for small businesses.”ĭOI Commissioner Margaret Garnett said: “This settlement rightly holds accountable a subcontractor that intentionally deceived the government and blatantly disregarded the regulations in place to ensure equal access by disadvantaged-owned businesses. Department of Transportation is designed to create a level playing field for small, disadvantaged businesses to participate in federally-funded construction projects.

USDOT-OIG Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Brian Gallagher said: “The Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program of the U.S. This settlement reflects this Office’s commitment to root out DBE fraud in federally funded contracts so that legitimate DBEs can compete fairly for public construction projects.” Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “The Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program is intended to increase participation of minority- and women-owned businesses that historically have been disadvantaged in federal contracting.

District Judge Analisa Torres, SPECTRUM admits and accepts responsibility for conduct alleged in the Government’s amended complaint and agrees to pay $400,000 to the United States. As part of the settlement approved yesterday by U.S. (“Tower”), a certified DBE, was solely performing work on the two projects, when in fact much of that work was performed by SPECTRUM, a non-DBE.

Specifically, the United States alleged that SPECTRUM caused the prime contractors on the projects to misrepresent that codefendant Tower Maintenance Corp. The settlement resolves the United States’ allegations that SPECTRUM fraudulently obtained payments on two federally funded construction projects by causing misrepresentations of compliance with Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (“DBE”) rules, which require participation of businesses owned by women and minorities.

Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Brian Gallagher, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Northeastern Region, United States Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (“USDOT-OIG”), Margaret Garnett, the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”), and Carolyn Pokorny, Inspector General of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (“MTA-OIG”), announced today that the United States has settled civil fraud claims against New York-area painting contractor SPECTRUM PAINTING CORP.

Spectra painting company