Rizzo Sr. attorneys say he 'willfully turned a blind eye' to scheme
Attorneys for Charles Rizzo Sr. say he admits his role in a scheme involving “phantom dumpster” invoices, but then point the finger at a business associate as the person who orchestrated the scam and has not faced any criminal charges.
The allegations were made in a memorandum in advance of Rizzo’s July 24 sentencing before federal Judge Robert Cleland in Port Huron for one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud as part of the ongoing public corruption probe centered in Macomb County.
The legal team representing Rizzo say he is “truly sorry he did not speak up to put a stop to this conspiracy, that netted the former Rizzo Environmental Services trash hauling firm that he was vice president of about $50,000. “Rizzo admits that he knew or was willfully blind to the fact that RES was going to be overcharged for the purchase of 690 garbage dumpsters, and that another company owned by him and his son, Charles B. Rizzo (“Junior”), was going to underpay for the purchase of two garbage trucks,” attorneys Barry Levine and Ariel Glasner wrote in the memo.
Rizzo Sr., 71, of New Baltimore, pleaded guilty in December to the conspiracy charge, which carries a penalty of up to five years imprisonment and a $250,000. But federal prosecutors have said he could receive probation as the advisory sentencing guidelines is zero to six month in prison.
Read more: http://www.theoaklandpress.com/general-news/20180712/rizzo-sr-attorneys-say-he-willfully-turned-a-blind-eye-to-scheme
Earlier thread:
Trash titan Chuck Rizzo gets 5.5 years: 'I've let many people down'
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10582981
= new reply since forum marked as read
