◆ SpookStack

PH 58~641 7 nents, “oF bonuses” tor em, {ployes eyhave: ‘beatt giving damaging ‘Hinformation ‘to ifivestigators. }-And U. S, Attorney ‘George }Beall: of Baltimore has noti- S fied» Agiew: ‘that ‘he is under investigation: for possible vio- ’lations ‘6f conspiracy, fax . fraud, extortion, and bribety’. Potatutes. team: of IRS: agents; which. now tiumbers more. ‘than: 20, ‘began cortibing through the ‘accounts of consultitiz” engi- riers: and architects. “architects ‘wete . particularly =A former federal prosecutor . yyInetable to payoff’ demands ~says. it has longbeen common, troy. public officials, Because HMetiowledgé: in Baltimote' they provide . “professional: »€ointy. and surrounding aeas | -gervices,” they are. usually i hat ‘kickbacks’ were ‘part. of the contratting businéss. “Some, of the ‘people who: ¥ ~paid: réally ‘believed there: was : Snothing: wront—that ‘expeiises ,to--help, public Officials: oper- i ‘rate their dffites, of campaign (anions, “were legal,” he : without: ‘cornpetitive pidding ‘And the architect or. the - public official “for, whose de- ‘dong, . usually” appoints, the engiriéérs~stnechanical,. i aid. “Orie of the’ prosectitors cut: sett involved: inthe investi- pation | scoffed recently’ at thé y possibility | that contractor's itbelieved. the paymients wete jiinocentt.. -~ Bor by that ‘time, U.S. the _ terial ‘Revenue: Service inves- tigators and: witnesses had: . ’ given’ ‘him information. that: - the payoffs: ‘had gone to “all: ‘Jevels?? in. ‘Maryland govern. - meiit, including: officials swho.: did not have:to tut £0: roftice, : aridvim years when. there were ' norelection: campaigns: . ’ ; The {investigation turned ‘to ‘something mote ‘solid , than: industry gossip: Jast December . When: One : -constilting- engineer ' -ptitlined to ‘investigators how } money Was set aside for pay- , ‘foffs. i The payoff money, was hid- i jee a strutiire. | tion. indicating that consul+ tants were obliged 6 ‘kick profit o1 ori éach-contract. | * And investigators also ‘have ‘information that consultants and ottier: contractors joined in payotts unconnected with specific contracts, ‘but ‘i -or- ‘der to Have. assutarices that - foe > wieers . arid -subcorittactors wher their turh came..".. + Ariitéd: with: figures from: and- emiployes \that some of payments and bonuses, wére phony. teceived ‘the -Christmds *bo- Vdeti in: the books. of firms. as: | ‘nuses shown on the books, or business -experises,, loah pay- aE Rope was ee } rettift them: to: eifiployers. That. fnformnatiots' sinacked! | | At Hit investigati jot possibile ‘tax fraud, and a $6 Consulting engineers and hired. througlt negotiation, - ‘partrient. the. work, is ‘being: ' -contractots in; on: ‘the payolfs. éléce | tii¢al, civil, or stéuctural—as ; ‘inony | froit,. employes; and e-corsultant in’ the: design’ of figures turned’ up | by ‘the ' 4 focused: atténtid, zion: the-heads ‘of leading consulting. firms— The grand. j jury ‘has informa. back a set percefitage: of their: they would: ‘bé hired as:; éngi~ ‘ In bis, bailiwick, , the county the. contractors? books, IRS: agents. and: :prosecutots got. adinissions from accountants. the ‘business -expenses,, loan: . : public as well as private :con-3. , Striiction Eniployes said’ they’ never: |. red ai ; no-f ¢rats. aiid: Republicans, .politi- cal and’ 'busitiess. ‘associates, ‘mote ‘County executive; Dale } Anderson, a Deitiocrat. An- dersoii’s “nonpartisan, career ¢ adtninistrative’ officer, Wil } liath Fornoff, decided to.codp: } erate with prosecutors in re- § turh for-leniency.. ‘Fornoff pleaded. giiilty to. a | relatively mnitir 4ax. charge | on Jue 4, Headmitted thathe { fiad been .a ‘conduit for -the ‘payoffs to’ “dnother cotinty official,’* presumably.” Ander- soit ict Went furttier, it was. jearned;, and, mnatiied other That information, plus. testi= including sever “who. ate lose to” Agnew-— Lester { Matz and John Childs, of Matz, Childs * *& Associates and Jerorite "B. “Wolff, Fl former Agnew aide who “qiiit the Vice President's office to become. president” of Greiner ‘Environtiental ‘Systems: The, | Maryland has’ a. stfong county govertinient - system! ‘olitside “cities: ‘like: Baltimore. executive-is very powerful: He. runs. the: pélice, public iyork petmits. ' ‘and. licenses; \ and traffic engineering depart- iments, among others. As the-courity prospered. atid § boomed, Agnewt