As reported by the NY Post, James Luckie, 58, the former Cushman & Wakefield electrical manager, allegedly accepted extravagant gifts from electrical contracting firm managers Paul Angerame and Michael Garrison, both 59. The gifts included expensive Knicks game tickets and a golf trip in Florida.
“These individuals were trusted with rebuilding the site of the worst terror attack in American history, but instead, allegedly squandered public funds to line their own pockets,” the state’s Attorney General Letitia James said Wednesday. “Not only did they trade lavish gifts for confidential information and preferential work, but they put lives at risk by hiring unqualified workers to carry out serious electrical work at the site.”
In 2013, the Port Authority, which owns the WTC site, hired Cushman & Wakefield to oversee electrical work at the site, and Luckie was appointed as the site’s electrical manager. Angerame and Garrison, two former managers at Hatzel & Buehler, Inc., allegedy paid for Luckie’s meals, golf outings and chauffeur services in exchange for preferential treatment, insider information about future electrical projects, and an unfair advantage over competing firms. As per court papers, more than $17,000 in gifts were enjoyed by Luckie from 2015 to 2017, gifted by Angerame and Garrison, who were appointed as supervisors over the project.
The case further alleges that the crooked trio squandered Port Authority funds by hiring seven unqualified electricians, who had family or personal ties, to perform repairs and maintenance. These electricians, who were paid $1.26 million in total for various jobs, were inexperienced and did not have knowledge of how to handle high voltage electricity, endangering themselves and other workers at the site, as per officials.
The Port Authority launched a year-long investigation, uncovering the “pay-to-play” scheme, after getting a safety complaint about the dangerous condition, as per the Attorney General’s office. “Let this serve as a loud and clear message: we will crack down on corruption of any kind and will work to ensure public integrity and accountability throughout New York,” said AG James.
On Wednesday, each of the three defendants pleaded not guilty in Manhattan Supreme Court to charges of corrupting the government, bribe receiving and official misconduct. If the men are convicted, they can face up to 15 years in state prison.
