Former soil firm executive pleads guilty to fraud

The former vice president of a business development for a Canadian company dealing with contaminated soil has pleaded guilty to taking part in a fraud conspiracy.

Zul Tejpar, who was employed by Bennet Environment admitted to his part in the attempt to defraud the US Environment Protection Agency (EPA).

The fraud involved the clean-up of a Federal Creosote site at inflated prices.

He was ordered to pay a criminal fine of £1 million.

Deborah Garza, acting assistant attorney general in charge of the department's antitrust division, commented: "The competitive bid process is designed for the protection of taxpayers.

"We will continue to prosecute those who subvert the competitive process, particularly where taxpayer dollars are involved."

The EPA was set up in 1970 by President Richard Nixon.

It aims to lead the US' environmental science, reseach, education and assessment efforts, while protecting human health and the environment.