Stamatios Kousisis, Wire Fraud, Pennsylvania 2018

PHILADELPHIA — A 62-year-old Downingtown man has been sentenced to nearly six years in prison for defrauding the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

Stamatios 'Tom' Kousisis was sentenced to 70 months' imprisonment, three years' supervised release, and a $17,500 fine by United States District Judge Wendy Beetlestone.

The defendant was found guilty of wire fraud and related charges after a 19-day jury trial in August 2018.

Kousisis operated a scheme to secure lucrative PennDOT contracts worth more than $150 million using a now-defunct certified disadvantaged business enterprise.

The defendant and his employer, Alpha-Liberty Joint Venture, were required to use a legitimate, certified DBE to provide at least 6% of the value of the work on projects such as the Girard Point Bridge and Amtrak's 30th Street Train Station.

Instead of employing a DBE, Kousisis engaged in a fraud scheme in which a company owned by an African-American woman was used as a front.

The company was provided invoices showing it had performed work on these projects, but in fact, it did not provide any services of economic value.

The sentencing was announced by United States Attorney William M. McSwain, who stated, 'DBE rules exist to level the playing field for legitimate disadvantaged businesses, not for defendants like Kousisis to cynically manipulate to line their own pockets.'

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edpa/pr/downingtown-man-sentenced-nearly-six-years-prison-defrauding-penndot-disadvantaged