BAY CITY, MI – A scheme to siphon millions from federal highway funds has landed three Michigan men in federal court. Jeffrey Bartlett, 52, of Standish, Andrew Semenchuk, 53, of Rives Junction, and Brian Bartlett, 50, of Bentley, all pleaded guilty today to one count of Conspiracy to Defraud the United States, admitting their roles in a years-long fraud against the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT).
The trio, along with two uncharged co-conspirators, ran Surveying Solutions Inc. (SSI) out of Standish, Michigan. From approximately February 2011 through July 2019, SSI raked in millions of dollars in contracts from the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), almost entirely funded by USDOT federal funds. But according to court documents unsealed today, those contracts weren’t earned – they were built on a foundation of lies and inflated costs.
Prosecutors allege the Bartletts and Semenchuk systematically overbilled MDOT, pocketing the difference. The scheme involved reporting bogus employee and IT expenses, inflating equipment and lease costs, and actively concealing the true ownership structure of SSI. The goal? To justify the inflated bills and funnel millions into their own pockets. The exact amount of the overpayments hasn’t been fully disclosed, but authorities confirm it reached into the millions.
“Today’s guilty plea highlights a calculated attempt to exploit the competitive contracting process for personal enrichment,” stated Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office. “Fraud of this nature erodes public trust, undermines the integrity of government programs, and unfairly disadvantages honest businesses.” Gibson praised the work of the FBI’s Bay City Resident Agency in unraveling the complex financial scheme.
Anthony Licari, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Midwestern Region, echoed those sentiments. “Contracting with the United States government demands fairness and integrity,” Licari said. “Our agents will continue to collaborate closely with law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to identify and dismantle fraud schemes that undermine public trust and compromise DOT-funded programs in Michigan and across the nation.”
The investigation was a joint effort between the FBI and the USDOT Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorneys Karen L. Reyolds, T. Patrick Martin, William Vailliencourt, and K. Craig Welkener are prosecuting the case. Sentencing dates for Jeffrey Bartlett, Brian Bartlett, and Andrew Semenchuk have not yet been announced, but each faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the conspiracy charge. Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on any further developments.
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Key Facts
- State: Michigan
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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