Vietnamese businessman faces 150 years in prison in US
Two men, a contractor (Vietnamese origin) and an inspection consultant, have been charged with conspiring to steal US$3.6 million in taxpayer money from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT).
Vietnamese origin Thanh Nguyen, 62, of King of Prussia and Robert Slamon, 54, of Shillington, Berks County, are charged with theft, bribery, corruption and related offenses.
Nguyen, the owner of V-Tech Services Inc. (V-Tech) and Utility Line Clearance Inc. (ULC), has received US$26 million in maintenance contracts from PennDOT since 2009.
The Pennsylvania Attorney General says during that time Nguyen knowingly over-billed the agency to the tune of at least US$3.6 million for herbicide spraying, litter cleanup, graffiti removal and landscaping work that his crews never completed.
Prosecutors say Nguyen covered up the theft by laundering money through checks made out to employees, who were instructed to cash those checks and deliver the money back to Nguyen.
Prosecutors say Slamon, in his role of PennDOT consultant inspector for Czop Specter Inc. in Norristown, falsified records, allowing Nguyen to be paid for work never completed.
They say on one occasion Slamon was seen accepting a US$5,000 cash payment from Nguyen.
Both men were arraigned on July 31 and released on US$50,000 bail each.
If convicted, Nguyen faces a maximum of 150 years in prison and a fine of US$250,000 plus restitution.
Slamon faces up to 95 years in behind bars and a possible US$150,000 fine.
A preliminary hearing has been set for August 13.