Politics & Government
Ex-Glastonbury Man Pleads Guilty in $9 Million Wire Fraud Case
The federal case involves the reimbursement of solar energy projects that the government says never were completed.
A former Glastonbury resident is facing a jail sentence and restitution of nearly $9 million after ge waived his right to indictment and pleaded guilty Monday in New Haven federal court to fraudulently obtaining more than $9 million in economic stimulus program funds in 2010 and 2011.
According to an announcement from Connecticut’s U.S. Attorney Deirdre M. Daly, the former resident defrauded the federal government by filing fake and fraudulent claims for hundreds of solar energy projects in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Florida, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Maine and California.
Walter C. Bradway, 64, a former of Glastonbury resident who now resides in Holmes Beach, FL, waived his right to indictment and pleaded guilty pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, according to authorities.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the fraud involved making filings with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which included provisions for various economic stimulus programs including the Specified Energy Property Program administered by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
One of the programs was administered by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (“NREL”) in Golden, CO, and reimbursed eligible applicants a portion of their costs for installing specific energy properties, including the installation of solar panel projects.
Applicants seeking reimbursement for 30 percent of their energy projects if they submitted supporting documentation including engineer-certified design plans for the project, vendor invoices reflecting the costs of installing the energy property and, for projects that were connected to an existing public utility, an interconnection agreement with that utility.
Bradway was the owner and president of Glastonbury-based DataComm Services LLC (“DCS”). In 2010 and 2011, Bradway, through DCS, submitted more than 300 applications for reimbursements for solar panel projects in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Florida, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Maine and California. Many of these applications were fraudulent, however, because Bradway represented that the project was installed and in service when, in fact, the project had not been completed or even begun, according to Daly’s office.
Bradway also overstated the size and cost of projects in order to increase the reimbursement amount. In connection with many applications, Bradway submitted false documentation, including falsified engineer reports and fake interconnection agreements with local utility companies. As a result of these fraudulent applications, Bradway received approximately $9,026,637 in funds that he was not entitled to.
Bradway pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years and he is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson on April 25.
As part of his plea, Bradway has agreed to restitution in the amount of $8,935,266.50.
The case is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Treasury – Office of Inspector General and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Karwan.
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