Investigations

On March 9, 2011, following a four-week trial, Zohrab B. Marashlian, the former president of Perini Corporation's Civil Division, an international construction services corporation, was found guilty  of mail fraud, conspiracy, and conspiracy to launder money for making false representations to New York government agencies regarding their use of Disadvantaged Business Enterprise ("DBEs"). 

The government's evidence established that while Mr. Marashlian was President of Perini Corporation's Civil Division, he and others used front companies to falsely certify that construction work was performed by DBEs on subcontracts valued at approximately $19 million.  The public works contracts included the West Side Highway, the Long Island Expressway, the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, the Williamsburg Bridge, and the Queens Boulevard, among others.  As a result of his fraudulent acts, Mr. Marashlian won public works contracts from the government for Perini and also gained $14 million in personal bonuses.  

This investigation was conducted by the Federal Construction Fraud Task Force.