Bergen Accountant Cooked Books For Corrupt NYC Construction Comps: DA

BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — A local accountant stands accused of cooking three construction company's books, defrauding New Yorkers of about $10 million in workers' comp, according to Manhattan prosecutors.

Edgewater accountant Steven Lyon — arraigned in January for similar accusations — was indicted once again on charges he defrauded the New York State Insurance Fund, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said last Thursday.

"These alleged lies are not just numbers on paper — they hurt the financial wellbeing of hardworking construction workers," Bragg said. "And left New York taxpayers on the hook for the bill."

The charges are similar to those Lyon faced earlier this year, namely that he helped New York contractor Oneteam lie about the size of its workforce in documents the state used to calculate workers' comp insurance costs, Bragg said.

The accountant is now accused of helping three more companies — Anaar Construction & Contracting Corp., DNA Contracting and Spring Safe & Sound Inc. — to be "grossly undercharged" by the state, Bragg said.

Lyon was charged in Manhattan Criminal Court now faces a forgery charge along with additional counts of insurance fraud and falsifying business records, prosecutors said.

The companies, and their owners, were similarly charged.

“Insurance fraud, including workers’ compensation fraud, costs honest companies and employee tens of millions of dollars every year,” said Gaurav Vasisht, CEO of the New York State Insurance Fund.

“We’re grateful to D.A. Bragg and his office for holding bad actors accountable."