Former CEO of Bennett Environmental found guilty of major fraud against U.S. government

WASHINGTON – – The former CEO of a Canadian firm that specialized in the treatment of contaminated soil was convicted Wednesday of conspiring to pay kickbacks and committing major fraud against the United States, the U.S. Department of Justice announced.

John Bennett of Vancouver was charged in August 2009 and extradited towards the U.S. in November 2014 to face trial regarding the obtaining subcontracts for that treatment and disposal of contaminated soil at a New Jersey “Superfund” site overseen through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and also the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

“Superfund” sites are polluted locations designated through the American government for the cleanup of hazardous material.

Bennett, the founder and chairman from the board of Bennett Environmental Inc., a strong with offices in Vancouver and Toronto, was convicted following a three-week trial in Newark, N.J.

“John Bennett corrupted the competitive bidding process by paying kickbacks to be able to win a Superfund contract. He literally stole money from the United States,” said Assistant Attorney General Bill Baer from the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division.

Beginning in 2001, Bennett conspired with others at Bennett Environmental
to pay kickbacks worth more than $1 million to the project manager at Federal Creosote, a Superfund site situated in Manville, N.J., in order to obtain contracts for his company, the justice department said.

‘He literally stole money in the United States’

The kickbacks included money transferred by wire to a co-conspirator’s shell
company, lavish trips and entertainment expenses, and personal gifts.

In exchange for the gifts and cash payments, the work manager at Federal Creosote provided Bennett Environmental employees with “last looks” in their competitors’ confidential bids.

“The provision of these last looks allowed Bennett Environmental to submit its very own bid at the last second and outbid its competitors without independently determining
its price,” the justice department said in a statement.

The RCMP and also the Canadian justice department assisted using the fraud investigation.

Sentencing is scheduled for June 27.