NEW JERSEY – A co-owner of a Middlesex, N.J., supply company plead guilty today to one count of making a false statement, lying to about his involvement in a kickback scheme, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
During a hearing to review and determine whether businessman Victor Boski and his company, National Industrial Supply would eligible for future contracts with the federal government, federal officials said Boski lied in 2011 about the extent of his involvement in a kickback scheme.
National Industrial Supply is an industrial pipes, valves and fittings supply company
Today, Victor Boski pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court of New Jersey to willfully making a materially false and fictitious statement to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at this debarment hearing in 2011.
“When individuals plead guilty to participating in fraud and kickback schemes, it is crucial that that they do not then lie to government procurement officials about their conduct,” said Bill Baer, Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The division will vigorously prosecute individuals who make false statements regarding the crimes they have committed.”
Boski is scheduled to be sentenced on July and is facing up to five years in prison and a $250,00 fine, which could increase.
In 2009, Boski plead guilty to participating in a kickback and fraud conspiracy to defraud the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at the Federal Creosote Superfund site located in Manville, N.J., federal officials said.
Also he plead guilty to defraud Tierra Solutons Inc., a general contractor based in Woodlands, Texas, at the Diamond Alkali Superfund site Newark, N.J., officials said.
These crimes occurred from about December 2000 to about September 2004, according to authorities.
In the 2009 plea agreement involving these crimes, officials said Boski stated that he provided $55,000 in kickbacks to two employees of the prime contractor responsible for awarding contracts at the two Superfund sites in exchange for the award of sub-contracts to Boski’s company, National Industrial Supply.
These kickbacks also included luxury vacations and payments to shell companies held by the two employees, officials said.
According to court documents, Boski appeared before the EPA on or about Nov. 30, 2011, on behalf of his company to try and get more contracts with the federal government.
During the debarment hearing, Boski lied and said he and National Industrial Supply had paid kickbacks in the form of sporting event tickets and that the $55,000 in kickbacks that he and his company pleaded guilty to paying was an artificial number.
Including Boski, nine others and three companies have pleaded guilty or been convicted of charges arising out of this investigation, officials said.
Officials said more than $6 million in criminal fines and restitution have been imposed and six of the individuals have been sentenced to serve prison sentences ranging from five months to 14 years.
One individual was sentenced to six months home confinement and the remaining two were sentenced to pay criminal fines and restitution.