'our Chief China Business Advisor"
kathleen
show that in 1998, Rowland's co-chief of
staff Peter Ellef referred to a Tomasso
executive as "our Chief China Business
Advisor" in a letter on governor's office
stationery to the governor of China's
Shangdong Province in an effort to persuade
Chinese officials to support a business
venture involving one of the Tomassos'
companies."
http://www.commoncause.org/atf/cf/%7BFB3C17E2-CDD1-4DF6-92BE-BD4429893665%7D/Corruption%20Trail.pdf
====================
"The United States Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut
announced that a federal grand jury sitting in Hartford today returned
a 15-count Indictment charging PETER N. ELLEF, age 60, of 414 Lovely
Street, Avon, Connecticut; WILLIAM A. TOMASSO, age 39, of 24 York Road,
New Britain, Connecticut; TOMASSO BROTHERS, INC., of One Liberty
Square, New Britain; TUNXIS MANAGEMENT CO., of One Liberty Square, New
Britain; PETER N. ELLEF II, age 33, of 418 Lovely Street, Avon; and LF
DESIGN, LLC, of 60 Wooster Street, New Britain, with *** racketeering
conspiracy, racketeering, conspiracy to commit theft/bribery of federal
funds, mail fraud/theft of honest services and wire fraud/theft of
honest services.***
The Indictment also charges ELLEF, TOMASSO, and TOMASSO BROTHERS, INC.,
with attempted extortion and conspiracy to commit extortion; ELLEF,
ELLEF II and LF DESIGN with conspiracy to defraud the IRS; and ELLEF,
TOMASSO, ELLEF II and LF DESIGN with conspiracy to money launder."
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/ct/Press2004/20040923.html
-------------------------------------
"My office will pursue this case to assure that these individuals and
companies pay back for the harm caused by their alleged wrongdoing."
http://www.cslib.org/attygenl/press/2004/other/corruption%20juvenile%20tr%20school%20contracts.htm
Connecticut Attorney General's Office
Press Release
Attorney General Sues 7 Individuals, 4 Companies For
Corruption In Juvenile Training School Contracts
September 27, 2004
Attorney General Richard Blumenthal today sued seven people, including
five former high state officials, and four companies for illegally
steering contracts to construct two juvenile training schools to
companies operated by William A. Tomasso.
Gov. M. Jodi Rell expressed strong support for Blumenthal's lawsuit.
Defendants in the suit are: Tomasso, former Gov. John G. Rowland's
Co-Chief of Staff Peter N. Ellef, his son Peter N. Ellef II, former
Rowland Deputy Chief of Staff Lawrence E. Alibozek, former Department
of Public Works (DPW) Commissioner Theodore R. Anson, former Department
of Children and Families (DCF) Commissioner Kristine D. Ragaglia and
former Chief Deputy Commissioner of Public Works Patrick J. Delahunty
Jr. The suit makes no claim that Ragaglia received anything of value.
The companies charged in the action are: Tomasso Brothers Inc., Tomasso
Brothers Construction Company Inc., Tomasso-owned Tunxis Management
Company Inc. and LF Design, LLC, a landscaping firm owned by Peter N.
Ellef II.
Blumenthal charges in the suit that the seven corrupted the bidding
process to assure that Tomasso's companies won contracts to build the
Connecticut Juvenile Training School (CJTS) in Middletown and a similar
girls facility. Tomasso constructed CJTS at a cost of $57 million. The
girls facility was canceled.
"This action sends a powerful message to corrupt public officials and
their cohorts: We will uncover your corruption and make you pay
dearly," Blumenthal said. "This lawsuit marks a milestone in our
multi-year investigation - conducted separately, but cooperatively
with federal authorities.
"My investigation is active and ongoing, in cooperation with federal
authorities. Further action will be taken, as appropriate."
"We charge that public officials and powerful contractors engaged in a
wide-ranging scheme to skew and subvert competitive bidding in major
state projects. These officials allegedly sacrificed and sabotaged the
public interest, causing taxpayer moneys to be misused and diverted.
They allegedly favored one contractor with insider information and
other advantages that made a mockery of fair, effective contracting.
Our goal is money back for taxpayers - to recover for harm done
through self-dealing and self-enrichment.
"Our legal action will pursue goals that the criminal process cannot
alone fully accomplish. Some of these defendants, if convicted, should
receive prison time and criminal penalties, but we will also seek to
compel them to pay restitution - dollars that compensate for the
claimed damage. Our action will set forth details of the scheme showing
the need for broader reforms - including specific measures that my
office has advocated."
Rell said, "Anyone who violated the public trust must be prosecuted to
the fullest extent of the law. This includes both criminal charges
being pursued by federal officials and civil action seeking to recover
monetary damages for the state.
"It is important for the legal system to bring this sad chapter of our
state's history to a close. My focus is on restoring faith, trust and
integrity to our state government. I am determined to enact reforms and
create an environment that will help make certain we never see
allegations of this type of illegal behavior again."
Blumenthal's action alleges that Tomasso and his companies provided
benefits, including cash, gold coins, and other items or services of
value, to Peter N. Ellef and Alibozek. Tomasso channeled a significant
portion of those benefits to Peter N. Ellef through LF Design LLC,
owned by Peter N. Ellef II, the action charges. Peter N. Ellef and
Alibozek allegedly directed state officials to award state contracts to
Tomasso's companies, the suit charges.
The suit also charges that Anson received free architectural services
from Kaestle Boos Associates, Inc. for an addition to his home.
Anson, acting at the behest of Ellef and Tomasso, unsuccessfully tried
to fire a DPW employee who questioned the awarding of the CJTS contract
to a Tomasso firm, the action alleges.
In September 1998, the state decided to replace Long Lane School after
a student committed suicide at the school. The DCF chose a facility in
Marion, Ohio as the model for the new school. DPW and DCF officials
visited the facility between November 17 and 19, 1998.
Blumenthal's lawsuit charges:
Later that month, Tomasso, Ellef, Alibozek and Ragaglia paid a second
visit to the Marion facility during which Tomasso received inside
information about the state's plans for the new facility. No other
bidder had that information or knew that the Marion facility was the
model for CJTS.
The state later hired Marion project manager Kendal L. Ball as a
consultant in the development of CJTS. Tomasso used the inside
information provided by state officials to hire Ball and Marion
architect KZF, Incorporated before submitting its proposal to the
state. Anson and Delahunty knew that Tomasso hired Ball after Ball had
drawn up the specifications, but nonetheless allowed the selection
process to go forward.
DPW employee Bruce Bockstael raised concerns about Tomasso and his
companies, prompting Tomasso to ask Ellef to fire Bockstael. Ellef
instructed Anson to terminate Bockstael. Anson ordered Bockstael fired,
but other DPW personnel eventually convinced Anson not to go through
with the termination, and Bockstael kept his job.
On April 23, 1999, a selection panel that included Ragaglia chose
Tomasso Brothers Construction Company and/or Tomasso Brothers, Inc.
from five finalists to build the school. Anson gave final approval to
the selection on May 7, 1999. The company subsequently constructed
CJTS.
The state also decided as a result of the September 1998 suicide at
Long Lane School to build a girls training school. In 2001, the DPW
utilized Ball and Linda Albrecht of Children's Comprehensive Services,
Inc. to help write the bid specifications for the new school. Similar
to the pattern with the boys facility, Tomasso later hired both
consultants before submitting its proposal, a fact known by Anson and
Delahunty. None of the other bidders enjoyed a similar advantage, but
Anson and Delahunty again allowed the process to continue.
On May 2, 2001, a selection committee chose Tomasso to construct the
school. Anson approved the decision the next day.
The school was never built.
By their actions, Peter N. Ellef, Alibozek, Ragaglia, Anson and
Delahunty, along with the three Tomasso companies, allegedly violated
the following public policies of the state of Connecticut:
State real estate needs must be kept confidential
Integrity and objectivity must rule the state contracting process.
All bidders must compete on a level playing field
No bidder may be favored over another.
No bidder may have inside information.
State officials must act in good faith when awarding contracts.
In addition, the action charges that Tomasso, his companies, Peter N.
Ellef, Peter N. Ellef II, LF Design, LLC and Alibozek violated the
following state public policies prohibiting:
Acceptance or payment of bribes
Racketeering
Mail or wire fraud to deny the state of honest services.
"The individuals charged in this case are charged with corrupting the
bidding process for CJTS, the proposed girls training school and other
projects - shamelessly exploiting positions of public trust or access
to power," Blumenthal said. "Instead of serving the public interest,
these former state officials are charged with favoring a powerful
insider and subverting the competitive bidding process designed to
build the most effective facility. When a courageous state employee
protested, some sought to silence the whistleblower.
"My office will pursue this case to assure that these individuals and
companies pay back for the harm caused by their alleged wrongdoing.
Their actions stuck the state with an unsuitable, outrageously
expensive facility for treating at risk youth. They betrayed taxpayers,
DCF employees and juvenile offenders, undermining the central mission
of helping troubled youth."
The suit charges each defendant with multiple violations of the state
Unfair Trade Practices Act and seeks restitution, plus a civil penalty
of up to $5,000 for each violation of the law.
Click here to view the Complaint.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Back to the Attorney General's Home Page
Back to the Press Releases Page
E-Mail Attorney General Richard Blumenthal