Investigations

On November 9, 2016, Sheila Curtis pleaded guilty in Franklin, Maine, to theft by deception and forgery. Curtis, a consultant fabrication inspector for HRV Conformance Verification Associates, Inc. (HRV), was charged with seeking reimbursement for lodging expenses that she had not incurred while working on a federally funded project. 

 

The Maine Department of Transportation had hired HRV to perform inspection services on the federally funded Lisbon/Durham bridge project. HRV assigned Curtis to inspect materials fabricated at a plant in Kingfield, Maine. 

 

From June to October 2015, Curtis deceived HRV and the State of Maine by intentionally creating the impression that she was staying at two different hotels related to work on the project. She falsely made or altered bills from these two hotels to fraudulently obtain lodging reimbursements.

 

Under a deferred disposition agreement, Curtis agreed to pay HRV $10,955.52 in restitution. Curtis also has 24 months to pay the New York City DOT $49,978.98 in restitution for similar conduct in New York found during this investigation. If this money is paid within that time, the Maine Attorney General’s Office will reduce the felony charges to misdemeanors, and Curtis will serve 90 days in jail. 

 

This case was prosecuted by the Maine Attorney General’s Office.