May 16, 2015 - The Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) suspended former BTB
Corporation (BTB) President Juan Vazquez and
BTB, as well as R&F Asphalt Unlimited,
Incorporated (R&F Asphalt) Operations Manager
Juan Raul Robles and R&F Asphalt from
participating in federal procurement and
non-procurement transactions.
On March 18, 2015, BTB, Vazquez, R&F Asphalt,
and Robles, entered into a civil settlement
agreement with the United States in U.S.
District Court, San Juan, Puerto Rico, and
agreed to pay more than $7 million related to a
fraud scheme involving an airport construction
project in Puerto Rico.
This investigation was based on a civil qui tam
complaint filed by Betteroads Asphalt, LLC. BTB
and R&F Asphalt allegedly conspired to knowingly
and willfully defraud the FAA and made false
representations in connection with a taxiway
rehabilitation project at the
Rafael
Hernandez
International
Airport in
Aguadilla,
Puerto Rico.
BTB and R&F Asphalt allegedly submitted
falsified certificates of compliance to cover up
the fact that they substituted a different
asphalt binder than required on the airport
taxiway. The project, managed by the Puerto Rico
Ports Authority, was paid for with FAA grant
funds under the Airport Improvement Program.
Under the terms of the settlement, BTB and R&F
Asphalt agreed to return to the government $3.6
million each. Each paid an initial payment of
$500,000.
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