$1 million, American Dredging $1 million and officers of American and Great Lakes $200,000.įor three firms named as conspirators in suits filed on Thursday, it was the first time authorities had alleged in court papers they took part in bid rigging. The suits in state court seek to penalize Great Lakes and an affiliated firm $4 million, Hendry Corp. “This was a fairly standard practice in the industry,” Hoffman said. The federal lawsuit says the conspiracy began at least as early as 1979 and lasted until 1986. The general practice of bid rigging dates back in the dredging industry at least to the 1950s, officials said.

With the filing of the lawsuits on Thursday, the number of companies alleged to have rigged bids in the conspiracy increased from four to 10, and the number of projects allegedly involved increased from one to nine. A lawsuit filed in federal court in Jacksonville will attempt to recover the part of the $16 million that was an overcharge, Butterworth said, but he did not reveal the total amount of the overcharge.įour other suits were filed in state courts in Jacksonville, Titusville, West Palm Beach and Pensacola. About $16 million in state or local tax money went into projects where prices were allegedly fixed illegally, officials said.

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