Federal charges filed against contractors for failing to remove lead pipes in Newark, N.J.

(UI) — Two officials from a construction company contracted to remove lead pipes in Newark have been charged with fraud, accused of deceiving the city by leaving the hazardous pipes in place while falsely claiming to have replaced them, according to the New Jersey Monitor.

Federal prosecutors announced on Oct. 3 that Michael Sawyer, CEO of JAS Group Enterprise, and Latronia "Tee" Sanders, a foreperson on the project, are facing conspiracy to commit wire fraud charges.

According to the New Jersey Monitor, the pair allegedly received $10.2 million in government funds as part of the city's large-scale lead pipe replacement initiative, launched in response to Newark’s lead contamination crisis. Prosecutors allege that Sawyer and Sanders deliberately left lead pipes underground and submitted false reports and photographs to the city to cover up the deception.

Both Sawyer and Sanders were arrested and charged.

Newark’s lead pipe replacement project began in 2019 following a contamination crisis that left the city’s water supply with high levels of lead. By 2021, the city believed most pipes had been replaced, but earlier this year, officials discovered that some lead pipes were still in place.

Mayor Ras Baraka condemned the alleged fraud, calling it "intentional deception", according to the New Jersey Monitor. However, he reassured residents that water remains safe to drink, thanks to protective agents that prevent lead from leaching into the supply. The city has since identified and replaced lead pipes at about 28 locations, with further inspections ongoing to determine the full extent of the issue.

Federal investigators continue to examine sites managed by JAS, while both Sawyer and Sanders have yet to comment on the charges.

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