N.J. Industrial Pipes Supply Company and Its Co-Owner Plead Guilty to Fraud at Two N.J. Superfund Sites

The U.S. Department of Justice reports in its press release (quotation, not an independent finding): “WASHINGTON — A Middlesex, N.J., industrial pipes, valves and fittings supply company and its co-owner pleaded guilty today to participating in a fraud conspiracy at two U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-designated Superfund sites in New Jersey, the Department of Justice announced today. The sites are Federal Creosote, located in Manville, N.J., and Diamond Alkali, located in Newark, N.J. National Industrial Supply LLC (NIS) and its co-owner, Victor Boski, pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court of New Jersey today. Each pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to defraud the EPA at the Federal Creosote site and to defraud Tierra Solutions Inc. at the Diamond Alkali site from approximately December 2000 to approximately September 2004. Tierra Solutions is a general contractor based in The Woodlands, Texas. According to the plea agreement, NIS and Boski have agreed to cooperate with the Department’s ongoing investigation. Sentencing for NIS and Boski will be determined by the court. "Companies and individuals who shortchange taxpayers by subverting the competitive bidding process will be held accountable," said Scott D. Hammond, Acting Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Department’s Antitrust Division. As part of the conspiracy, Boski provided approximately $55,000 in kickbacks to Norman Stoerr, a former contracts administrator of the prime contractor at both Superfund sites, and Stoerr’s former superior in exchange for the award of sub-contracts to NIS. According to the charges, Boski, NIS, Stoerr and Stoerr’s former superior fraudulently inflated ”