BUSINESS OWNER CLEARED IN PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS SCANDAL
Business Owner Cleared In Public Works Projects Scandal President of heat & air conditioning firm facing grand larceny charges which were later dismissed
Hempstead firm accused of cheating workers
Bruce Lambert NEW YORK TIMES
Two officers of a heating and air-conditioning firm were accused yesterday of shortchanging workers’ pay on $60,000 worth of projects for Nassau County.
The projects included a police-helicopter hangar. The firm, Fred D. Singh and Sons of Medford, paid $10 to $15 an hour instead of the legally required $30 an hour for sheet metal, and $53 for steamfitters, said an assistant Nassau County District Attorney, William Dempsey.
Fred D. Singh, 69, of Medford, and Hansraj Seepersaud, 39, of Coram, pleaded not guilty to grand larceny charges. Mr. Singh’s lawyer, William Petrillo, said that his client and fellow crew members were victims hired by another firm, a general contractor.
Long Island Duo charged with underpaying workers
Associated Press, NEW YORK POST
Two officials of a Long Island based air-conditioning and heating contractor were charged yesterday with failing to pay state mandated prevailing wages to workers at a number of government construction projects, prosecutors announced.
The projects included subcontracting work at a Nassau County Police helipad hangar, and a senior citizens center, both in Bethpage; and the Nassau County Board of Elections building in Mineola . Fred D. Singh, 69, of Medford , and Hansraj “Bobby” Seepersaud, 39, of Coram, were charged with third-degree grand larceny, Nassau County District Attorney Denis Dillon said.
“Because these are public works projects, contractors and subcontractors are required to pay the prevailing wage rate, as specified by the New York State Department of Labor,” Dillon said.
William Petrillo, an attorney representing Singh, insisted his client is innocent. “The absurdity of this prosecution is that Mr. Singh himself is the victim of greedy general contractors, who stole from him,” Petrillo said. He claimed that the workers who were allegedly underpaid all support Singh.