Trucking firm owner in Northern Colorado receives sentence for involvement in $1.5 million bribery scandal
In a landmark case, three individuals have been sentenced for their roles in a commercial bribery scheme that targeted an unnamed Colorado electrical utility. The scheme, which involved false invoices and kickbacks totaling nearly $1.5 million, was investigated by the IRS and FBI, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sonia Dave and Bryan Fields.
At the heart of the case is Lozano Trucking LLC, a Fort Lupton-based trucking company that provided trucking and hauling services. Henry Lozano, the company's owner, was sentenced to 23 months in prison and ordered to pay restitution and forfeiture of $1,495,781.51. Another employee of the contracting company, Sabino Loera, was sentenced to 25 months in prison. Edward Joseph Chmiel, an employee of the contracting company, was sentenced to 30 months in prison.
The scheme, which took place between August 2018 and June 2020, saw the men submit fraudulent invoices through Lozano Trucking LLC for services never rendered. A network of 15 individuals helped launder the money from the fraudulent payments, with the laundered money being funneled back to Chmiel and Loera as kickbacks.
IRS-Criminal Investigations Denver Field Office Special Agent in Charge Amanda Prestegard commented on the sentence, stating that commercial bribery and corruption will not be tolerated. FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek added that fraud and kickback schemes erode public trust and undermine the systems our communities rely on.
While the specific Colorado utility involved in the fraud has not been explicitly named in public court filings or legal documents, it is known that the utility contracted with a company providing electrical contracting services, of which Chmiel and Loera were employees. Lozano, the owner of Lozano Trucking LLC, provided trucking and hauling services to the contractor.
Lozano Trucking LLC, registered under USDOT number 3196773, operated out of Fort Lupton, Colorado, and held active interstate operating authority. The full details of the case can be found in the DOJ release at justice.gov/usao-co/pr/three-sentenced-prison-commercial-bribery-scheme.
The investigation and prosecution of the case serves as a reminder that commercial bribery and corruption will not be tolerated. The sentences handed down to the three individuals involved in the scheme underscore the seriousness with which such activities will be treated.
- The events surrounding a commercial bribery scheme took place in northern Colorado and involved several individuals, including Henry Lozano, Sabino Loera, and Edward Joseph Chmiel.
- Lozano Trucking LLC, a business based in Fort Lupton, was at the center of the scheme, providing trucking and hauling services.
- The education sector was not directly implicated in the scheme, but it's known that a Colorado utility, which contracted an electrical contracting company, was indirectly affected.
- The finance industry was impacted by the scheme, with $1.5 million embezzled through false invoices and kickbacks. This incident highlights the importance of combating crime and justice issues, particularly in the context of business dealings.
