Fenton, Byrnes Mill Men Face Federal Fraud Charges

Byrnes Mill Landscaper charged with Visa Fraud

Robert Brake, of Byrnes Mill, MO, and his company, Brake Landscaping & Lawncare, Inc., faces one charge of federal visa fraud.

“Submission of fraudulent labor certification applications not only cheat workers here legally, but pose a security risk to this country.”, said James Vanderberg, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.

The H-2B non-immigrant visa program allows employers to seasonally hire immigrants for temporary, non-agricultural work. There a limited number of H-2B visas issued each year.

Documents filed said Brake illegally subcontracted, between March 2007 and February 2010, H-2B workers to another business at a profit. The indictment also alleges Brake created another company, Brake Snow and Ice Removal, to hire seasonal workers who never existed.

If convicted, Brake could face five years in prison and fined up to $250,000.

Fenton Man Pleaded Guilty Federal Fraud

Separately, Michael Woodling, of Fenton, MO, awaits sentencing after he pleaded guilty to government contracting fraud and to bribing a federal official.

Woodling will be sentenced on May 15.

As part of his plea, Woodling agreed to the forfeit $1.5 million and a luxury automobile, items he received due to the illegal actions, said the United States Attorney’s Office in a news release.

Woodling, a contractor with Gateway Contractors violated rules regarding contracts with the Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Program. The program issues government contracts to companies owned by service-disabled veterans.

Neither Woodling nor Joseph Madlinger, the owner of Gateway Contractors, is a service-disabled veteran and was not eligible to recieve a such a government contract.

Madlinger and Woodling asked a service-disabled veteran to be an owner of Gateway Contractors in name only, the U.S. Attorney’s office said. The veteran never managed a construction company or had the money to invest in the company.

After the veteran became a partner, Madlinger and Woodling re-applied and received federal government contracts.

The three partners also gave interest free loans and luxury box sporting event tickets to a Veteran’s Administration employee to receive work contracts at the St. Louis VA medical center and at the Jefferson Barracks cemetery.

The partners received about $3.4 million in government contracts at the VA Medical Center and the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, the U.S Attorney’s office said.

Madlinger, of Dupo, IL, pleaded guilty in February and will be sentenced on May 8.

Both men could be sentenced to up to five years in prison and fined up to $250,000.