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The asbestos was real. The inspection was fake. So contend federal prosecutors, who have indicted an Auburn, Wash. car dealer and two of his contractors on allegations that they conspired to violate the federal Clean Air Act while illegally removing asbestos.
According to a statement released March 22 by the U.S. Department of Justice, Wolfgang "Tito" Roempke, owner of Auburn Valley Cars, is accused of hiring the contractors-Michael Neureiter of A&D Company Northwest, Inc., and James Thoreen of JT Environmental, Inc.-to provide a false report showing that The Old Town and Country Diner in Auburn did not contain asbestos.
The Justice Department said the diner, also owned by Roempke, did contain the hazardous substance, which was a widely used building material until scientists linked it to diseases including lung cancer, asbestosis, and mesothelioma. The latter is a particularly deadly cancer that can take decades to develop, is difficult to diagnose, and has been at the center of countless asbestos lawsuits and settlements.
While other contractors had offered to remove the asbestos for fees exceeding $20,000, Neureiter, government lawyers contend, enlisted Thoreen to falsify a survey showing there was no asbestos on the site. In return, Thoreen received $8,000. Once the report was completed, prosecutors say, Roempke used heavy equipment to demolish the diner. Ultimately, more than 100 tons of toxin-laden debris was hauled away.
In addition to the conspiracy charge, the two contractors have been charged with other offenses related to the asbestos removal. Roempke-who government lawyers say twice presented the phony survey to staff at the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency-has been charged with making a false statement to environmental officials. All of the offenses carry a maximum punishment of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
This mesothelioma news is brought to you by the leading asbestos lawyers of Cooney & Conway.
Cooney & Conway, a national mesothelioma litigation firm offers legal assistance to patients diagnosed with mesothelioma cancer or other asbestos-related diseases. The firm has achieved settlements and verdicts totaling billions of dollars for clients in challenging and complex cases. Call today for a free consultation with a mesothelioma lawyer at Cooney & Conway.
News reported by Asbestos mesothelioma litigation attorneys: Cooney & Conway.
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