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Man Who Served Year in Prison for Environmental Fraud Conviction Indicted Again

Release Date: 04/01/2005
Contact Information:

Contact: Stacie Findon, 202-564-7338 / findon.stacie@epa.gov

(04/01/05) Michael Klusaritz of Whitehall, Pa., was charged with two counts of false statements and one count of mail fraud on March 16 in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. The charges state that the defendant allegedly falsified underground storage tank documents between 2001 and 2003. In 1997, the defendant was sentenced to one year in prison, pay $40,000 in restitution, and serve three years probation for his involvement in a laboratory fraud case involving Hess Laboratories in East Stroudsburg, Pa. Falsification of underground storage tank closure reports can prevent regulators from being aware of potential groundwater contamination. The case was investigated by the Philadelphia Office of EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division and the EPA Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by the U.S. attorney’s office in Philadelphia.