Guest essay by Eric Worrall
h/t Samuel C Cogar – A couple from Acton, Massachusetts have been charged with defrauding the United States Government of more than fifty million dollars worth of tax free renewable energy grants.
Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney’s Office
District of Massachusetts
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, August 10, 2017
Acton Couple Arrested for Defrauding the Treasury Department of Over $50 Million in Tax Free Energy Grants
BOSTON – An Acton couple was arrested today and charged with defrauding the U.S. Treasury Department of more than $50 million in tax free energy grants as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
Christopher N. Condron, 45, and Jessica Metivier, 41, were charged in an indictment unsealed today with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States with respect to claims and three counts of wire fraud. They were released on conditions following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston today.
The indictment alleges that Condron and Metivier conspired to submit fraudulent applications to the Treasury Department for energy grants as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The Recovery Act provided tax-free grants to individuals and businesses who put certain “specified energy property”—such as wind farms and gasification systems that convert trash into electricity—into service in a trade or business.
From May 2009 to June 2013, Condron and Metivier allegedly submitted fraudulent grant applications to the Treasury Department on behalf of four different Massachusetts companies, Acton Bio Energy, Concord Nurseries, Kansas Green Energy and Ocean Wave Energy. According to the indictment, for each of the applications, Condron and Metivier falsely claimed that Metivier and her entities had acquired, placed into service, or started construction of energy property, which allegedly included three different bio-fuel gasification systems, purportedly built at a cost of approximately $88 million, and an $84 million wind farm project. Condron and Metivier sought to be reimbursed for more than $50 million based on those costs—which the indictment alleges they never actually incurred—and received grants totaling more than $8 million. To support their applications, Condron and Metivier submitted fraudulent documentation to a Massachusetts-based attorney who, in turn, submitted the applications to the Treasury Department on their behalf.
The charge of conspiracy to defraud the United States with respect to claims provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and Joel P. Garland, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston, made the announcement today. The government acknowledges the assistance of the U.S. Department of Treasury, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Neil J. Gallagher, Jr. of Weinreb’s Economic Crimes Unit.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This isn’t the first time money on this scale has been lost to green fraud.
Last year a green fraud for a similar amount was exposed in Pennsylvania. The description of the alleged Acton fraud suggests that many green frauds have yet to be uncovered; it seems apparent that for way too long, nobody bothered to perform the most basic checks on whether the government grant money was being spent on building renewable energy facilities. I find it shocking that so much money was allegedly lost to such a blatant, amateurish scheme.
Makes you wonder just how many phantom green energy assets have been charged to US taxpayers, how much money has been lost to green criminals.
The root cause of all the above noted “ripping off” of taxpayer monies by the inhabitants of the DC Swamp of Corrupted Creatures …… is based solely in/on the per se “legal” act of vote-buying that has been “running rampant” for years n’ years in both the federal and all state governments.
If it is a “legal act” then those engaging in said “taxpayer rip-offs” cannot be prosecuted for committing a crime.
But, if you are not a party to or connected directly with the aforesaid “legal” act of vote-buying then you are subject to being arrested and convicted for your illegal act of defrauding, embezzling or stealing taxpayer monies from federal or state agencies.
Big “cash” donations to election or re-election funds of political candidates pretty much insures that, if elected or re-elected, said politician will either introduce legislation or support legislation that the big “cash” donators want enacted.
Thus, for example, a $10K donation to an election fund will result in a $100K earning from a business venture ……. and it was completely legal and no laws were broken.
A $50 million dust-mote is microscopic compared to the legal “environmental” money-laundering going on all the time.
It’s like the government was ordered to spend money on policy without question. Good thing that isn’t happening elsewhere.
Coach
I missed the /SARC.
Auto
So, the eminently stupid federal government sent these two people $50 million over a period of a few years without making a single inspection. Those who were in the approval precess need to be jailed or at the very least, fired!
Well, it is annoying, mostly because I didn’t know you could scam that much money out of the taxpayers for nonexistent projects. I have been enlightened.
It just doesn’t surprise me, that’s all.
Crony Socialism, at its finest!
A simple fraud which has nothing to do with climate change or green technology.
If governments launch schemes which provides subsidies to encourage particular behaviours, fraudsters will be waiting for the quick buck.
It is really a reflection on the woeful inability if government to engage with he private sector.
The greens may well be amateurish in their sailings upon the sea of fraud, but there is usually a professional somewhere on the ship.
This is the baby case tester of renewable grant fraud . $Billions have been given to renewable flame outs
that knew they ripped off tax payers while government bureaucrats played along .
A $80 billion Obama give away program and what a coincidence that Democrat donors just happened to be lottery winners . Clintons pay to play , Obama’s “renewable ‘ grant program .
Steal from taxpayers to get donations . Sweet .
The more money the government controls, the more corruption there will be. This is obvious and has been known for a long time. That is why the founders of this country (US) started with the smallest government they could get away with. My has their baby grown! It needs to go on a diet.
Steal a million a year for 30 years and you can get away with it. http://cola.gmu.edu/shukla/