Two charged with stealing $3.6 million from PennDOT

The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office has charged two men who worked for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation with stealing $3.6 million from the state.

Thanh Nguyen owns two companies, V-Tech Services Inc. and Utility Line Clearance Inc., that together got $26 million worth of PennDOT contracts since 2009 for services including herbicide, spraying, little cleanup and landscaping.

Robert Slamon was a private consultant who worked as an inspector for PennDOT. Prosecutors say Nguyen bribed Slamon ,and the two conspired to falsify records so Nguyen could charge taxpayers for services never performed and materials never purchased.

The alleged misconduct includes not fulfilling a $1.5 million contract for herbicide chemical roadside spraying, or  a $1.1 million dollar contract for graffiti removal. In addition prosecutions say contracted street sweeping that was never carried, and Nguyen double-billed PennDOTing for another herbicide contract worth $660,000.

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Efforts to reach the two men charged and their lawyers were unsuccessful.

Attorney General spokesperson J.J. Abbott says the two men put the public at risk.

“The fact that some of the work was allegedly just not done, never performed, and weeds were allowed to grow on the sides of the road with blocked signs and made viewing of sings dangerous for drivers, I think that’s something that needs to be corrected,” he said.

The two men worked at PennDOT District 6, which includes Philadelphia, Chester, Montgomerry, Delaware and Bucks counties. Abbot says that other charges may soon be coming to District 6 workers.

“The investigation into corruption at PennDOT region six does continue and we expect additional arrests to be made,” said the spokesperson.

If convicted on all charges Nguyen and Slamon will face maximum sentences of 150 and 95 days, respectively.________________________________________

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