{"id":21157,"date":"2016-03-09T12:21:00","date_gmt":"2016-03-09T20:21:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=21157"},"modified":"2016-03-09T12:21:00","modified_gmt":"2016-03-09T20:21:00","slug":"21157-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=21157","title":{"rendered":"Defendants Who Allegedly Tried to Benefit from Programs that Help Minority Businesses Indicted"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0BUFFALO, N.Y.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

A federal grand jury indicted\u00a0 David Pfeiffer<\/strong>, 64, of Killbuck, NY, and Thomas Colton<\/strong>, 53, of Salamanca, NY, for illegally getting construction projects earmarked to help minority businesses.<\/span><\/p>\n

The two were charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and mail fraud. Pfeiffer was also charged with making a false statement to a financial institution.<\/span><\/p>\n

Both men are each facing up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine.<\/span><\/p>\n

Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell T. Ippolito, Jr<\/strong>., who is handling the prosecution, stated that according to the indictment, Pfeiffer and Colton conspired to defraud government agencies and the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise or DBE Program. <\/span><\/p>\n

A business can be designated a DBE\u00a0program if at least 51% of the business is owned and controlled by economically disadvantaged individuals. <\/span><\/p>\n

Since 1980, the U.S. the Department of Transportation used the DBE Program to increase the participation of minority businesses in construction projects that receive federal funding.<\/span><\/p>\n

As set forth in the indictment, between May 2009 and 2013, Pfeiffer and Colton are accused of defrauding among others:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022 the U.S. Department of Transportation;<\/span>
\n\u2022 the New York State Department of Transportation;<\/span>
\n\u2022 the City of Niagara Falls, NY;<\/span>
\n\u2022 the Buffalo Urban Development Corporation (BUDC); and<\/span>
\n\u2022 the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA).<\/span><\/p>\n

Pfeiffer and Colton used Colton\u2019s business, Sue-Perior Concrete and Paving, Inc<\/strong>., as a subcontractor on federal government contracts. <\/span><\/p>\n

Sue-Perior was used to allow Pfeiffer\u2019s construction company Man O\u2019 Trees to get government contracts that they would have not been able to receive.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sue-Perior was qualified as a minority business by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority based upon a fraudulent application submitted by Pfeiffer and Colton.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As a result of the alleged fraud, Pfeiffer and Colton illegally got government construction contracts involving at least three projects:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022 the New York State Route 104 Project;<\/span>
\n\u2022 the Union Ship Canal Project; and<\/span>
\n\u2022 the Gallagher Beach Project.<\/span><\/p>\n

In total, the value of the three projects was about $15,500,000. <\/span><\/p>\n

General contractors are only permitted to count funds paid to DBE\u2019s that performed a \u201ccommercially useful function.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

The indictment alleges that Sue-Perior did not serve a commercially useful function in relation to these construction projects. <\/span><\/p>\n

In addition, the indictment alleges that Pfeiffer also submitted false personal financial statements to Five Star bank to obtain credit extensions for his businesses.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

The defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A federal grand jury indicted David Pfeiffer, 64, of Killbuck, NY, and Thomas Colton, 53, of Salamanca, NY, for illegally getting construction projects earmarked to help minority businesses.
\nThe two were charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and mail fraud. Pfeiffer was also charged with making a false statement to a financial institution.
\nBoth men are each facing up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7271,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16,3],"tags":[2329,2328,2330],"class_list":["post-21157","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-home-main-slider","category-u-s-department-of-justice","tag-construction-projects","tag-disadvantaged-business-enterprise","tag-minority-businesses"],"yoast_head":"\nDefendants Who Allegedly Tried to Benefit from Programs that Help Minority Businesses Indicted<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A federal grand jury indicted David Pfeiffer, 64, of Killbuck, NY, and Thomas Colton, 53, of Salamanca, NY, for illegally getting construction projects earmarked to help minority businesses. The two were charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and mail fraud. 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