Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Leonard Lawson Among Three Indicted For Bid Rigging.
Former Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Secretary William Nighbert, 57, of Lexington, road contractor Leonard Lawson, 69, of Pikeville and one of Lawson's employes Brian Billings, 37, of Stanton were indicted Wednesday morning by a federal grand jury in Lexington for conspiracy, theft from a govertment agency, receiving federal funds, bribery and obstruction of justice.
The indictment alleges that Nighbert and Lawson conspired with Kentucky Transportation Cabinet employee James Rummage to divert confidential engineer estimates from the Cabinet to Leonard Lawson for his use in the bidding on road contracts. An engineer estimate is an internal document generated by the cabinet to determine how reasonable the bids are. The indictment also alleges that Lawson paid James Rummage $ 20,000 of bribe money for his assistance in the scheme and that Lawson funneled over $ 67,000 to Nighbert disguised as payments on a consulting contract for a utility management company.
According to the indictment , on approximately eight occasions between June 2006 and August 2007, either Nighbert or Lawson directed James Rummage to obtain and deliver to Lawson the estimates for particular contracts. It further alleges that on four seperate occasions, Lawson handed Rummage $ 5,000 in cash.
In a related matter , the indictment alleges that during the investigation of the diversion and bribery, Nighbert, Lawson and his employee, Brian Billings, obstructed justice by trying to persuade James Rummage not to cooperate with authorities , suggesting what he should say to the grand jury, and encouraging him to take the fifth amendment.
Attorneys for Lawson and Nighbert did not comment on the indictments, the attorney for Billings could not be reached.
Assistant United States Attorney Ken Taylor says more indictments could be handed down.
The indictment alleges that Nighbert and Lawson conspired with Kentucky Transportation Cabinet employee James Rummage to divert confidential engineer estimates from the Cabinet to Leonard Lawson for his use in the bidding on road contracts. An engineer estimate is an internal document generated by the cabinet to determine how reasonable the bids are. The indictment also alleges that Lawson paid James Rummage $ 20,000 of bribe money for his assistance in the scheme and that Lawson funneled over $ 67,000 to Nighbert disguised as payments on a consulting contract for a utility management company.
According to the indictment , on approximately eight occasions between June 2006 and August 2007, either Nighbert or Lawson directed James Rummage to obtain and deliver to Lawson the estimates for particular contracts. It further alleges that on four seperate occasions, Lawson handed Rummage $ 5,000 in cash.
In a related matter , the indictment alleges that during the investigation of the diversion and bribery, Nighbert, Lawson and his employee, Brian Billings, obstructed justice by trying to persuade James Rummage not to cooperate with authorities , suggesting what he should say to the grand jury, and encouraging him to take the fifth amendment.
Attorneys for Lawson and Nighbert did not comment on the indictments, the attorney for Billings could not be reached.
Assistant United States Attorney Ken Taylor says more indictments could be handed down.
# posted by Joe Kinzer @ 4:43 PM 
