Airport security firm accused of bribery

seattle post ^ | 2/3/04

[knak]

NEWARK, N.J. -- A security company with contracts to protect New York-area airports, bridges and tunnels has been charged with paying bribes to get work and hiring dozens of employees with criminal records.

Haynes Security Inc. and its president, John D'Agostino, were charged with theft, bribery and conspiracy in an indictment announced Tuesday.

Among the allegations: Haynes paid more than $1,000 in August 2001 for repairs at the home of a Continental Airlines manager in return for consideration for a contract at the Newark airport. No charges were brought against any Continental employees.

The security company was also accused of failing to submit employee fingerprints to police as required by law.

Since 1999, Haynes has held $12 million in annual contracts to provide security at Newark, Kennedy and LaGuardia airports in New York, as well as the Holland and Lincoln tunnels and the George Washington Bridge.

Those contracts are now under review.

"We need to ensure the highest level of safety, security and service," said Pasquale DiFulco, a spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which oversees the facilities.

Haynes no longer handles airport passenger screening, which is now overseen by the federal Transportation Security Administration. But the company's unarmed guards still provide security in other parts of the airports, including patrolling parking lots and checking the identification of vehicles entering runways.

Haynes lawyer Seth T. Taube said the company has cooperated fully in the investigation.

"This is nonsense. The state is desperate for political corruption cases, and this is their way of squeezing Haynes Security to make up stories about politicians," Taube said.

Investigators said Haynes hired 27 convicted criminals - who are barred from holding security posts - to work at the airport and for the state's largest utility, Public Service Electric & Gas. After learning of the investigation, the company sent thousands of fingerprints to state police for review, authorities said.

Also indicted was Benjamin R. Riggi, a former PSE&G manager was accused of accepting a $7,500 bribe in 2002 to approve Haynes' contract with the utility. Riggi has an unpublished number and could not immediately be reached for comment.

Haynes provided security at the utility's Newark headquarters, and for workers at street-repair sites.

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[Humidston]

Just what in heaven's name do these kind of people think they're doing - putting their own families in jeopardy while they rip off their own communities and cheat them out of competent security???

This man needs to be strung up in the town square!

[RicocheT]

Wake up Humidston! Corruption in government contracts is as common as dirt in NYC, NJ, Chicago and a hundred other US cities. They haven't cared in the past how shoddy, overpriced work put the public in peril, so don't expect them to start now.

Here in Milwaukee, it wasn't until President Bush appointed an honest and active US Attorney that local politicians were brought up on corruption charges.

We were lucky to get this US Atty. The past ones appointed by prior presidents were comfortable sleeping on the job.

[lelio]

Since 1999, Haynes has held $12 million in annual contracts to provide security at Newark, Kennedy and LaGuardia airports in New York, as well as the Holland and Lincoln tunnels and the George Washington Bridge.

How much security can he provide at 3 major airports and 3 major throughtfares for $12M a year? And that's even before the kickbacks.

[Calpernia]

*NJ Ping*

A MUST READ!

According to NJ 101.5 Morning talk show...Haynes still is working and guards are still on duty.

A Newark-based security company and its top executives have been charged with failing to do required background checks on employees who guarded area airports, utilities, bridges and other places vulnerable to terrorism, and with bribing officials to help them keep their contracts, Attorney General Peter C. Harvey said on Tuesday.

[Calpernia]

*Terror Ping List*

A MUST READ!

According to NJ 101.5 Morning talk show...Haynes still is working and guards are still on duty.

A Newark-based security company and its top executives have been charged with failing to do required background checks on employees who guarded area airports, utilities, bridges and other places vulnerable to terrorism, and with bribing officials to help them keep their contracts, Attorney General Peter C. Harvey said on Tuesday.

[Lady Eileen]

bump

[genefromjersey]

Yeah ! I read that this morning. Outrageous !!

What cracks me up is all the Freepers who got their shorts in a knot because the government decided to set up the TSA.

Private security-even when it is carefully supervised-doesn't always work out too well.

[JustPiper]

Are you organizing the call ins to congress yet? -smile-

[frithguild]

So hard to get good workers in Newark. We need need to revive CETA. (Sigh)

</sarcasm>

[frithguild]

Private security-even when it is carefully supervised-doesn't always work out too well.

So the exception should trash the rule?

How well it works out depends on how you award the contract. Open, competitive bidding with full disclosure of previous campaign contributions tends to shine the kind of light that makes cockroaches scurry.

[Calpernia]

Nope. Going directly to DHS.

[genefromjersey]

Yeah,well:getting the contract is one thing-keeping it another. What was happening was not campaign contributions,but outright bribes-paid to airport security directors-to look the other way,and to ask no embarassing questions.

A lot of times,the security director and the account manager would be old buddies,from precinct days.

Security guards are always a big question mark in the major metro areas,because it takes so long to get rap sheets back on them,and because turnover is so high,you need them about twice as bad as they need you.

When a guard is good,he's /she's VERY good...and very rare,given the pay scale.

[frithguild]

I just saw a jury consultant presentation. Give them 10 seconds and they can collect all public information on anyone - Address, mortgage amount, judgments, bankruptcies, crimes, political party registration, etc. Rap sheets may be a different matter, but this is a homeland security issue. "My job is too difficult" no longer cuts it.

[NJ Freeper]

Ping. This is the horrible story I was telling you about.

[At _War_With_Liberals]

This is the tip if the security corruption iceberg.

The amount of payola being taken by HS officials to dish out contracts is staggering.

I am from Hudson Count. I know all about payola and corruption. Bribes are a cost of doing business.