Investigations

On June 20, 2017, Carol Sanzo was sentenced in U.S. District Court, Newark, New Jersey, to 6 months’ home confinement, 4 years’ probation, a $250,000 criminal forfeiture, and an $18,000 fine for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. She pleaded guilty on July 6, 2016.

 

Between approximately 2008 and 2012, Sanzo routinely circumvented Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program requirements by causing contract payments from prime contractors to be routed through her company, retaining a kickback for herself, and remitting the remainder to non-DBE subcontractors. She falsely represented that Sanzo Ltd. supplied fuel on the Willis Avenue Bridge Project, knowing that a non-DBE fuel supplier actually provided those services. The Willis Avenue Bridge Project was funded by FHWA and administered by the New York City DOT. The value of Sanzo Ltd.’s purported DBE subcontract on the project was approximately $6 million.

 

DOT-OIG investigated this case with the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey-OIG.