USAO, Eastern District of Pennsylvania - Press Release

Summary

On August 22, 2013, Walter Morgan, aka Walter Eduardo Morgan Gomez, a painter contractor in Philadelphia, was indicted in U.S. District Court, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with making false statements and misuse of a social security number related to two federally- funded bridge painting contracts in Philadelphia valued at over $120M.  

In September 2009, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PENNDOT) awarded a $70.3 million ARRA-funded prime contract to the Alpha-Liberty Joint Venture (ALJV) for the painting and restoration of the Girard Point Bridge in Philadelphia. In January 2011, the ALJV was awarded a painting subcontract for the painting and restoration of the 30th Street Train Station in Philadelphia. After entering the U.S. illegally, Morgan allegedly made false statements by submitting a fraudulent social security card and number in order to obtain employment with the ALJV on the Girard Point Bridge and 30th Street Station projects. The investigation determined that Morgan also caused ALJV to submit required DOT regulated payroll reports to FHWA and PENNDOT that contained his false social security number. 

We are conducting this investigation with the FBI, Department of Labor (DOL)-OIG; Homeland Security Investigations; Social Security Administration-OIG; Internal Revenue Service-CID; Environmental Protection Agency-CID; DOL-Employee Benefits Security Administration; DOL-Wage and Hour Division; and Amtrak-OIG.

Note: Indictments, informations, and criminal complaints are only accusations by the Government. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.