Pennsylvania man sentenced to prison for role in multimillion-dollar fraud scheme

For Immediate Release

November 15, 2019

PHILADELPHIA – A former project manager of an industrial painting and construction company was sentenced November 6, 2019, to 70 months’ imprisonment, three years’ supervised release, and a $17,500 fine for wire fraud and related charges resulting from a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme.

Stamatios “Tom” Kousisis, 62, of Downingtown, Pennsylvania, concocted a scheme to obtain and keep two Pennsylvania Department of Transportation contracts to rehabilitate two bridges in the Philadelphia area – the 30th Street Station Bridge and Girard Point Bridge. The terms of the contracts required Kousisis to use a qualified Disadvantaged Business Enterprise to provide supplies for the projects. Instead, Kousisis used a now defunct DBE as a pass through to create the appearance that DBE program requirements had been met. In exchange for participating in the scheme, the DBE received a percentage of funds garnered from falsified invoices it submitted, according to court documents.

“We hope the results of this case send a clear message about the consequences of fraud, especially when the fraud occurs under the guise of helping disadvantaged businesses,” said Kevin Winters, Amtrak’s Inspector General. “Our office will vigorously investigate and help bring to justice those who engage in such fraudulent activity as we work to protect Amtrak funds and American taxpayers.”

Agents from Amtrak’s Office of Inspector General, along with the U.S. Department of Transportation OIG, the U.S. Department of Labor OIG, and the FBI investigated the case.

More information is available in the U.S. Attorney’s Office press release:

https://go.usa.gov/xpZHt