Investigations

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May 5, 2016

District of Columbia Man Indicted for Improperly Removing Asbestos and Defrauding Investors

Video Icon USAO, District of Columbia - Press Release

On May 5, 2016, James Powers, of Washington, DC, was indicted in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia for fraud stemming from a scheme to improperly remove asbestos from a historic building and violations of the Clean Air Act.

According to the indictment, Powers endangered his work crew by not taking the proper steps to renovate a building containing asbestos. Powers was aware that the building contained unabated asbestos prior to commencing the renovation activity. In September 2011, Powers contracted with a waste disposal company to haul construction debris from the property to an off-site disposal facility. He failed to inform the waste disposal company that the construction debris contained asbestos, thus causing the company to transport the asbestos containing hazardous material to a facility not qualified to receive asbestos waste.

DOT-OIG is conducting this investigation with the Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division.

Note: Indictments, informations, and criminal complaints are only accusations by the Government. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.