US: Construction firm forks over $2.4M for bid-rigging

A New England-based construction firm has agreed to pay millions in fines for allegations the company rigged the bidding process to win a highway reconstruction contract.

Reports say Manafort Brothers agreed to pay $2.4 million for making false claims to win the contract to rebuild part of Route 72; according to reports, the company claimed it would allocate 11 percent of the project to “disadvantaged business enterprises.”

But following an investigation conducted by the US Department of Transportation Office of the Inspector General, as well as the Department of Labor and the FBI, authorities discovered that no such companies took on any of the work.

Despite the fines, Manafort Brothers released a statement saying it “respectfully disagrees with aspects of the government’s characterization of the company’s shortcomings in this matter,” but nonetheless agreed to also implement internal changes, including the appointment of an Ethics Officer, as part of a deal with regulators.

Full Content: New Britain Herald

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