{"id":2350850,"date":"2024-10-04T14:56:02","date_gmt":"2024-10-04T18:56:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/company-lied-about-replacing-lead-pipes-prosecutors-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-10-04T14:57:57","modified_gmt":"2024-10-04T18:57:57","slug":"company-lied-about-replacing-lead-pipes-prosecutors-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/company-lied-about-replacing-lead-pipes-prosecutors-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Company lied about replacing lead pipes: Prosecutors &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fcompany-lied-about-replacing-lead-pipes-prosecutors-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2350850&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>In a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/texas-wins-at-supreme-court-on-absentee-ballots\/\" title=\"Texas prevails at Supreme Court regarding mail-in ballots\">significant legal case<\/a>, \u2064federal authorities\u2064 have charged two officials \u2062from a New Jersey company, JAS Group\u2062 Enterprise, \u200dwith fraud related to a $10.2 million project intended to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/michigan-gov-gretchen-whitmer-requests-300-million-for-school-coronavirus-testing\/\" title=\"Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer Requests 0 Million for School Coronavirus Testing\">replace lead pipes<\/a> in Newark. Prosecutors \u200dallege\u200c that the company falsely claimed to have\u200c completed the work\u200c and submitted misleading documentation, including photos of copper pipes \u2064that \u2063were already in place \u200dprior \u2063to \u2063the project\u2019s \u2063commencement. This scheme was part of the Lead Service Line Replacement Program, aimed at addressing dangerously high lead levels in the city&#8217;s water supply.<\/p>\n<p>Latronia Sanders, a foreperson for the company, allegedly instructed her crew not to replace lead pipes even after being informed about the lead&#8217;s presence. Both Sanders and the company\u2019s CEO, Michael \u200dSawyer, were indicted for conspiracy to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/doctor-received-150-million-in-largest-fraud-scheme-involving-covid-19-relief-program\/\" title=\"Doctor implicated in &#039;biggest COVID-19 relief fraud&#039; receives 0M.\">commit wire\u2063 fraud<\/a>. The U.S.\u200d Attorney&#8217;s Office described their actions\u200b as a deliberate attempt to defraud the city by collecting payments for work \u2064that was not properly executed while covering their tracks with\u200d fake reports and images. This case highlights serious concerns about accountability and public safety in municipal construction projects.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">New Jersey company lied about replacing dangerous lead pipes in $10.2 million deal: Prosecutors<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1776061\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/fbi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Federal authorities<\/a> allege that a company in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/new-jersey\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>New Jersey<\/a> lied when it said it completed a $10.2 million project to replace <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/pipelines\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>lead pipes<\/a> in Newark, a <a href=\"https:\/\/content.govdelivery.com\/attachments\/USDOJUSAO\/2024\/10\/02\/file_attachments\/3019321\/SawyerSanders.Complaint.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>criminal complaint<\/a> detailed Wednesday.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>The project, the Lead Service Line Replacement Program, was supposed to replace all of the city&rsquo;s lead water pipes after dangerously elevated lead levels were found in city water. The company, JAS Group Enterprise, is alleged to have sent photos of copper pipes saying it had replaced them.<\/p>\n<p>But those pipes were allegedly already in place before the project. The company sent the photos between 2020 and 2022, during the project. U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger alleged that a company foreperson, Latronia Sanders, &ldquo;instructed the crew not to replace the lead&rdquo; even when told there was lead in the water line.<\/p>\n<p>Sanders and company CEO Michael Sawyer were indicted on Thursday for conspiracy to commit wire fraud.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;As our complaint alleges, Michael Sawyer and Latronia Sanders worked for a company hired by the city of Newark to replace lead pipes, but instead, they intentionally left lead pipes in the ground,&rdquo; Sellinger said in a statement. &ldquo;By causing misleading photographs and verification forms to be submitted, Sawyer and Sanders concealed that they intentionally did not replace lead pipes and defrauded Newark by collecting payment for work they did not properly perform. Today, we begin the process of holding them accountable.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Investigators accused Sanders of sending text messages intended to make inspectors believe that work the company performed was not necessary because copper pipes were already present at the site.<\/p>\n<p>When copper pipes were present at a site, crews were instructed to polish them to make them seem new and as if they just installed them. One witness estimated that another JAS foreperson instructed the crews to do this at hundreds of sites, Sellinger said.<\/p>\n<p>The mayor of Newark, Ras Baraka, said the health of residents shouldn&rsquo;t be in danger because JAS only affected about 1% of the pipes. City officials excavated 400 sites where they performed work, and only 28 were found to have lead pipes that needed to be replaced.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title><strong><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We&rsquo;re proud of the work that we&rsquo;ve done, and we&rsquo;re happy that we&rsquo;ve come to an end,&rdquo; Baraka said. &ldquo;When the U.S. attorney identified initial sites, we went to those sites. We changed what they showed us immediately that day. We continue to do that as we go. I don&rsquo;t want us to have this assumption that people were at risk of being exposed to lead because that never, ever was the case.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>If convicted, Sawyer and Sanders face up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross profits or twice the gross loss of the victims.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1776061\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1776061\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>New Jersey firm falsely claimed to replace lead pipes in $10.2M deal<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2350851,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Lead-Pipes.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[42366,42365,32142,37596],"class_list":["post-2350850","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-company-misconduct","tag-lead-pipes","tag-legal-action","tag-water-safety"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Lead-Pipes.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2350850","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2350850"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2350850\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2350851"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2350850"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2350850"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2350850"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}