Post by Logan on May 10, 2016 2:06:30 GMT -6
Bristol Virginia Utilities shows culture of corruption, entitlement and greed
Tucked in Virginia’s far southwestern corner, Bristol Virginia Utilities, aka BVU, had the market cornered on electricity, water, sewer and high-speed Internet, and a breadth of corruption that could stun the most jaded cynic.
In the past year, eight former BVU executives, board members and contractors have pleaded guilty to a wide-ranging collection of federal felonies.
The utility was rife with self-dealing, extortion, tax evasion and fraud. There were kickback and bid-rigging schemes, demands BVU’s major vendors underwrite fancy holiday parties (one cost more than $12,000) and provide executives with choice tickets to pro football and college basketball games, NASCAR races, horse races and other sporting events.
Court records depict one case in which some top BVU executives and board members took a weekend trip to Texas, where they relaxed in hotels, dined in restaurants, rode in limousines and watched the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys from luxury skybox seats at AT&T Stadium, all courtesy of a company awarded a $4.5 million contract from the agency.
Read more: www.newsadvance.com/work_it_lynchburg/news/bristol-virginia-utilities-shows-culture-of-corruption-entitlement-and-greed/article_aebe0d30-f3fe-56c1-a281-41631beccfb0.html
Tucked in Virginia’s far southwestern corner, Bristol Virginia Utilities, aka BVU, had the market cornered on electricity, water, sewer and high-speed Internet, and a breadth of corruption that could stun the most jaded cynic.
In the past year, eight former BVU executives, board members and contractors have pleaded guilty to a wide-ranging collection of federal felonies.
The utility was rife with self-dealing, extortion, tax evasion and fraud. There were kickback and bid-rigging schemes, demands BVU’s major vendors underwrite fancy holiday parties (one cost more than $12,000) and provide executives with choice tickets to pro football and college basketball games, NASCAR races, horse races and other sporting events.
Court records depict one case in which some top BVU executives and board members took a weekend trip to Texas, where they relaxed in hotels, dined in restaurants, rode in limousines and watched the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys from luxury skybox seats at AT&T Stadium, all courtesy of a company awarded a $4.5 million contract from the agency.
Read more: www.newsadvance.com/work_it_lynchburg/news/bristol-virginia-utilities-shows-culture-of-corruption-entitlement-and-greed/article_aebe0d30-f3fe-56c1-a281-41631beccfb0.html