A North 91原创 man convicted in a major fraud case in the United States says it鈥檚 a 鈥渢errible shock鈥� that U.S. authorities are pursuing him for a restitution order imposed in the case.
In 2009, John Anthony Bennett, the chief executive officer of a 91原创-based company that treated and disposed of contaminated soil, was charged with participating in a conspiracy to pay kickbacks at a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency designated site in New Jersey.
The kickbacks were provided to the project manager of the site in order to influence the awarding of subcontracts at the site and to inflate the prices charged to the EPA by the prime contractor.
They were in the form of money transferred by wire to a co-conspirator鈥檚 shell company, lavish cruises for senior officials of the prime contractor and various entertainment tickets and gifts. The conspiracy began as early as December 2001 and ran to about August 2004.
U.S. officials sought Bennett鈥檚 extradition and he was extradited to the U.S. in November 2014. In March 2016, a jury found him guilty of one count of conspiracy to pay kickbacks and commit fraud against the U.S. He was sentenced to five years in prison and ordered to pay $3.8 million in restitution.
In September 2019, a judge released him from prison on compassionate grounds because he had cancer and had been given only six to 12 months to live.
A recent lawsuit filed in B.C. Supreme Court by the U.S. government says that to date, Bennett has paid $2,257 under the restitution order with his co-defendant and co-conspirators also making payments towards joint restitution.
The principal remaining under the restitution order is $1,973,951.
U.S. officials are seeking to have the B.C. Supreme Court recognize and enforce the restitution order. They say that Bennett鈥檚 pre-sentencing file indicates that he owns assets in B.C.
鈥淭he plaintiff seeks to enforce the restitution order against the defendant鈥檚 British Columbia assets,鈥� says the suit.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a terrible shock,鈥� Bennett, 84, said of the lawsuit against him.
Contacted Friday, he said that he鈥檇 been paying restitution and reporting his income every month since his release.
鈥淚鈥檝e never had an indication that they would do this,鈥� said Bennett, who added that he鈥檇 paid a few thousand dollars towards the restitution.
鈥淭here was restitution and we were paying, but then I鈥檓 not in a position to pay any more. I鈥檓 just on a pension and I don鈥檛 have any other assets. I thought they鈥檇 accepted it.鈥�
Bennett said he never made the amount of money alleged, claiming that 鈥渢he whole damned thing was a farce.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 impossible to pay that,鈥� he said of the restitution order.
Before his conviction, Bennett was a celebrated B.C. environmental entrepreneur, hailed for his improve-the-planet patents and extensive community service.
Bennett, the founder of Bennett Environmental Inc., a firm with offices in 91原创 and Toronto, was granted 15 patents, including some of the biggest oil skimmers in the world. His technology was used to help clean up the infamous Exxon Valdez spill and many of the world鈥檚 worst spills since.
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