Stephen J. Craig, Fraud, Connecticut 2018

Hartford, CT – Stephen J. Craig, owner of Boston Lead Company LLC (BLC), doing business as Environmental Training and Assessment (ETA), was sentenced to six months in federal prison and a $20,000 fine last December for perpetrating a fraudulent scheme involving lead abatement worker training certifications. The case, investigated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division, revealed a deliberate effort to provide illegitimate credentials to individuals seeking certification to perform potentially hazardous lead abatement work.

According to court documents, ETA offered courses required for certification by the Connecticut Department of Public Health (CT DPH). Individuals performing lead abatement in Connecticut are legally required to complete a 32-hour training course and pass a corresponding examination. Craig, as training manager and primary instructor, and his son, Matthew Craig, who assisted with instruction and grading, knowingly falsified records to allow an undercover EPA agent to receive a certificate despite incomplete course attendance and a failing grade on the exam.

The scheme unfolded in August 2011 when an undercover agent attended a lead abatement training course at ETA’s Middletown facility. The agent intentionally limited their participation, attending only approximately 15 hours of the 32-hour course and arriving late on one occasion. Despite being aware of the agent’s limited attendance, Craig permitted the agent to take the final examination. When the agent intentionally failed the exam, Matthew Craig intervened, altering the answer sheet to artificially inflate the score to a passing grade of 80 percent.

Following the manipulation of the exam, ETA issued a fraudulent Certificate of Completion, falsely stating the agent had successfully completed the full 32-hour course and met CT DPH standards. This misrepresentation enabled the agent to falsely claim qualifications for lead abatement work, potentially endangering public health and safety. Federal prosecutors argued that Craig’s actions undermined the integrity of the certification process and posed a significant risk to communities vulnerable to lead exposure.

This isn’t the first time someone involved in the scheme faced legal consequences. Matthew Craig previously pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement in 2013 and was sentenced to two years of probation and 100 hours of community service. Stephen Craig pleaded guilty in August 2017 to one count of making a false statement to the federal government. U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant, in handing down the sentence, emphasized the seriousness of the offense and the need to deter others from engaging in similar fraudulent practices.

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Key Facts

Defendant: Stephen J. Craig
Company: Boston Lead Company LLC (BLC), doing business as Environmental Training and Assessment (ETA)
Location: Middletown, Connecticut
Statutes Violated: 18 U.S.C. 1001 (Making False Statements to the Federal Government)
Penalties: Six months imprisonment, $20,000 fine, three years supervised release.
Co-Defendant: Matthew Craig previously sentenced to probation and community service for the same offense.
Investigation Agency: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigation Division

The case highlights the EPA’s commitment to aggressively pursue criminal violations of environmental regulations and ensure the integrity of training programs designed to protect public health. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas P. Morabito prosecuted the case, underscoring the federal government’s dedication to holding accountable those who attempt to circumvent environmental safeguards.

Source: EPA ECHO Enforcement Case Database

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