Tuesday, July 08, 2008

Bogus Recycling Company Owners Jailed

Oh yes, sometimes your government gets it right. This time
three folks were arrested in Lapeer County for racketeering and money laundering.

Between 2000 and 2004, World Waste Services and Cove Landfill were
permitted by the state of Michigan to conduct a solid waste business. World Waste Services submitted falsified documents with forged names of governmental officials to the DEQ and Huron County that sparked a cooperative criminal investigation between the DEQ and Huron County Sheriff’s Department.

It turns out that the company entered into recycling contracts with municipalities throughout the thumb area. They gave the appearance of adhering to the contracts and
recycling the waste, but instead disposed of the recyclable material into Cove
Landfill, at no cost to them.

The owners were took most of the cash they received at the business and converted it to their own personal use by laundering the money through area casinos.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

According to Polino and indictments by a Dallas County grand jury this week, the defendants dumped roofing shingles, tiles containing asbestos and other debris on a 3.5-acre tract in an industrial area of West Dallas. The company took money to recycle the material, "but in reality, they created an illegal landfill," Polino said.

Company owner Melvin E. Riecke, the father of one of the indicted men, said the charges were not true. "These things didn't happen," said Mr. Riecke, who said his company recycles waste paper, fiberglass and shingles for environmentally safe uses.

"We were taking the material for recycling," he said. "We try to do what's best for the environment. This is a ridiculous situation."