Queens-based contractor Liaquat Cheema has been sentenced to four years in prison for orchestrating a fraudulent scheme that defrauded New York City out of millions. The mastermind of the scam, identified as the President of AFL Construction Co. Inc., was caught padding invoices and falsifying worker identities on contracts worth $12 million.
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Cheema’s fraudulent activities spanned from 2014 to 2017, where he, along with others, submitted phony invoices claiming work had been done at city shelters, which in reality never occurred. The deception extended to Medicaid benefits as well, where Cheema and his cronies siphoned off tens of thousands of dollars by underreporting their incomes.
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“Liaquat Cheema stole millions in public funds intended for New York City’s homeless shelters,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “We will aggressively pursue anyone who abuses public trust.”
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In addition to the prison term, Cheema, aged 65 from East Elmhurst, New York, faces two years of supervised release and is ordered to pay $3,267,811 in restitution and forfeiture.
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The U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General and the New York City Department of Investigation were praised for their pivotal investigative roles. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy V. Capozzi leads the prosecution within the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit.
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Cheema’s sentence serves as a stern reminder that there is no place in society for those who would steal from the most vulnerable.
Related Federal Cases
- Contractor John McClure Faces Decade-Long Prison Term in Fraud Scam · Washington
- NY Valet Scam: 37 Months for Fraud · Ohio
- Benefit & Tax Cheat Gets 37 Months · New York
- Bank Mogul Busted in $50M Fraud Ring · New York
- Banker Michael Thompson Sentenced for $5M Fraud · Washington
Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Public Corruption|White Collar Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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