Alexander Robert Xavier Gets 12.5 Years for Bond Fraud

A Palm Beach County man is behind bars after a federal jury exposed his elaborate scheme to defraud multiple U.S. agencies using counterfeit construction bonds. Alexander Robert Xavier, 52, of Boca Raton, Florida, was sentenced to 150 months in prison for orchestrating a multi-million-dollar fraud that preyed on government-backed infrastructure projects.

Xavier, convicted on July 14, 2016, on charges of mail fraud, major fraud, and making false statements to the U.S. Department of the Army, falsely claimed to be an ‘individual surety’ on performance and payment bonds required for federal construction contracts. U.S. District Judge Kenneth A. Marra handed down the sentence, ordering Xavier to pay more than $4 million in restitution to the defrauded agencies.

From May 2008 to October 2010, Xavier pledged millions in non-existent assets to at least 18 federal agencies, including the Department of the Army and the Department of Labor. His fraudulent bonds allowed contractors to secure government work under false pretenses, while Xavier collected over $4.3 million in illicit fees.

Investigators revealed that Xavier’s entire operation was built on lies. There were no real assets backing the bonds—no collateral, no reserves, just hollow promises. His sham insurance coverage put critical public projects at financial risk and undermined trust in federal contracting safeguards.

The case was jointly announced by Wifredo A. Ferrer, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Paul Brezinski of EPA-OIG, and Monty Stokes of VA-OIG. Ferrer credited investigative work by EPA-OIG, VA-OIG, the Department of the Army’s Criminal Investigation Command, Defense Criminal Investigative Services, and multiple federal Offices of Inspector General.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher B. Browne and Wilfredo Fernandez prosecuted the case. Court documents are available through the Southern District of Florida’s public docket at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.