Public contracting officials, whether working for federal, state or local agencies, are entrusted with making sure taxpayer money is spent wisely, fairly and according to relevant regulations. When they don’t, the authorities are quick to come down hard on them.
Earlier this year, a former New York City Metropolitan Transit Authority construction project administrator was ordered to pay a fine of $20,000 and serve a prison sentence of 46 months, followed by three years of supervised release, after he pleaded guilty to soliciting and receiving bribes from authority contractors.