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FOUR MEN PLEAD GUILTY IN CONNECTICUT IN COMPLEX CFC SCHEME
Release Date: 03/14/2002
Contact Information:
FOR RELEASE: THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2002
FOUR MEN PLEAD GUILTY IN CONNECTICUT IN COMPLEX CFC SCHEME
Luke C. Hester 202-564-7818 / hester.luke@epa.gov
On March 6, four men pleaded guilty in the second largest case ever in terms of the amount of chlorofluorocarbon refrigerants (CFCs) unlawfully imported—1,760 tons. Barry W. Himes of Lyme, Conn., John M. Mucha of Guilford, Conn., and Richard A. Pelletier of Bolton, Conn., each pleaded guilty to conspiring to make a false statements to the EPA and the U.S. Customs Service and conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). In addition, Douglas E. Castle of Huntington, N.Y., pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the IRS. Between 1996 and 1998, the defendants were engaged with others in a scheme to illegally import and evade taxes on hundreds of tons of highly restricted CFCs by using the names of several shell entities. The scheme involved a $24 million tax fraud, wire fraud and money laundering operation. The importation of CFCs is restricted under the Clean Air Act because the release of CFCs into the atmosphere damages the earth’s ozone layer, which protects people from the harmful effects of ultraviolet light, such as skin cancer and cataracts, and destroys plant life, including crops. Six other individuals: Alfredo Vega of Hato Rey, Puerto Rico; William Barlen of Madison, Conn.; Pavel Perlov of Chelsea, Mass.; Juan Carlos Gorbea of San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Rudi Endres and Alicia Keigwin, both of Berwyn, Pa., previously pleaded guilty as a result of this investigation. When sentenced, Himes, Mucha and Pelletier each face maximum sentences of up to 10 years in prison and/or fines of up to $500,000 or twice the loss to IRS from their offenses. Castle faces a maximum sentence of up to five years in prison and/or a fine of up to $250,000. The case was investigated by EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division, IRS and the U.S. Customs Service with the assistance of EPA’s National Enforcement Investigations Center. It is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s office in New Haven, Conn., and the U.S. Department of Justice.
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