A Manhattan federal jury found a Canadian contractor guilty of defrauding a program to promote minority- and woman-owned businesses in the construction of the World Trade Center.
Prosecutors alleged that DCM Erectors and its owner Larry Davis used two minority firms as administrative fronts while DCM, in an attempt to avoid paying millions of dollars to minority firms, did all the work itself. The value of the steel work at the Freedom Tower and World Trade Center Transportation Hub projects was nearly $1 billion.
Lawyers for the company and Davis said they will appeal the verdict and that the minority firms did the work they were supposed to do on the projects. Prosecutors alleged that Davis falsified records to make it appear that minority contractors performed the work.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Mar 12, 2015
Energy Trust of Oregon offers financial incentives for net-zero buildings
The organization is offering technical assistance along with financial benefits.
Codes and Standards | Mar 10, 2015
Real estate interests push Congress for Census funding
The groups have joined forces to urge Congress to fully fund the 2020 Census and the annual American Community Survey in its 2016 budget.
Codes and Standards | Mar 5, 2015
Charlotte, N.C., considers rule for gender-neutral public bathrooms
A few other cities, including Philadelphia, Austin, Texas, and Washington D.C., already have gender-neutral bathroom regulations.
Codes and Standards | Mar 5, 2015
FEMA cuts off funding to Indiana after Kokomo continues building stadium in flood zone
FEMA will withhold funding on $5.5 million worth of projects such as building tornado safe rooms in schools.
Codes and Standards | Mar 5, 2015
Construction problems at prison spur support to quash non-traditional project delivery in Iowa
Iowa lawmakers are investigating construction problems at the Fort Madison prison project and are scrutinizing rules regarding project delivery on state projects.
Codes and Standards | Mar 5, 2015
AEC industry groups look to harmonize green building standards, codes
The USGBC, ASHRAE, ICC, IES, and AIA are collaborating on a single green code.
Codes and Standards | Mar 2, 2015
Nevada moves to suspend prevailing wage rules on school projects
The Nevada Senate approved a bill that would suspend prevailing wage rules on school projects.
Codes and Standards | Feb 22, 2015
Louisiana officials critical of stricter building standards in flood-prone areas
Buildings would have to be built either two or three feet above the base flood elevation for a 100-year flood or above the base elevation for a 500-year flood.
Codes and Standards | Feb 18, 2015
Buildings with rocking steel-braced frames are advantageous in earthquakes
Research at Case Western Reserve University has found that buildings that rock during an earthquake and return to plumb would withstand seismic shaking better than structural designs commonly used today in vulnerable zones of California and elsewhere.
Codes and Standards | Feb 18, 2015
USGBC concerned about developers using LEED registration in marketing
LEED administrators are concerned about a small group of developers or project owners who tout their projects as “LEED pre-certified” and then fail to follow through with certification.
