The owner of an asbestos abatement company that did subcontracted work for the Detroit Land Bank Authority will stand trial on multiple felony charges that stem from a U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan investigation into the use of Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) funds for demolitions.
Kevin Woods, owner of BBEK Environmental, was arraigned in February 2021. He waived his preliminary examination last Thursday. Subsequently, 37th District Court Judge John Chmura sent the case to trial.
Woods faces:
• Four counts of false pretenses over $100,000, a 20-year felony.
• One count of false pretenses between $1,000 and $20,000, a five-year felony.
• One count of money laundering, a 10-year felony.
• One count of bribery of an agent or employee, a one-year misdemeanor.
“I remain grateful for the thorough job done by our team and those at the Office of the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program on this case,” Nessel said.
“Those who skirt health safeguards and exploit business opportunities for illegal financial gain will be held accountable by this office.”
Woods is accused of misrepresenting project costs to avoid paying more money to the state, bribing a contractor to secure work for his company and violating state laws that require post-abatement air monitoring to be done by an independent entity.
A forensic review of Woods’ submissions over the course of three years, 2015 through 2019, indicate he shorted the state of Michigan out of at least $21,200 in fees.
Woods was suspended in July 2019 from being involved in any Detroit Land Bank Authority contracts and performing any work for the City of Detroit.
His circuit court arraignment is set for April 4 at 1:30 p.m.
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