Investigations
Former New York State MTA Official and Associated Entities Suspended by FTA
Effective February 15, 2018, FTA suspended the following individuals and business entities from participation in Federal procurement and nonprocurement programs: Talib Lokhandwala, Bhavna Lokhandwala, Bhavna Associates, Inc., Ghusalal Patel, Mansukh Patel, and Vista Engineering.
On October 3, 2017, Talib Lokhandwala, a former senior director of the New York City Transit Authority (NYCTA), a subsidiary of the New York State Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court, Brooklyn, New York, to bribery charges involving multiple contractors on MTA projects that received FTA grant funds.
Lokhandwala admitted to receiving bribe payments from contractors that were scheduled to perform construction work on train stations in New York City. He and his wife, Bhavna, created a consulting company, Bhavna Associates, Inc., for the sole purpose of receiving and disguising these payments. Lokhandwala admitted that between March 2009 and May 2015, he received $152,400 in checks from several contractors in exchange for favorable treatment. He was the construction manager assigned to their projects and helped them expedite work orders and engineer’s drawings, submit bid packages, and facilitate any issues that arose. He received most of the bribe payments at his NYCTA office.
DOT-OIG is conducting this investigation with MTA-OIG.
Note: A suspension or debarment frequently covers a specific period of time. Please consult the System for Award Management to determine whether a company or individual is currently suspended or debarred.