Ten people are charged in a multi-million dollar kickback scheme
orchestrated at a mine in Logan
County
U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin held a news conference Friday
afternoon to release information regarding the alleged crime.
Goodwin says the companies were forced to pay kickbacks to Arch
employees to do business with the coal company at its Mountain Laurel mining
complex in Logan County
“This kind of pay-to-play scheme hurts honest coal-industry
vendors who refuse to pay bribes as a way to get customers,” commented U.S.
Attorney Booth Goodwin. “The corrupt way that these defendants did business
should be a thing of the past. It’s bad for the economy and, ultimately, bad
for consumers.”
Goodwin says Arch employees are accused of taking nearly $2
million in kickbacks from 2007 to 2012. The money was to ensure that vendors
received and continued to receive work at Mountain Laurel, according to the
news release.
The charges link the scheme to former Mountain Laurel general
manager David Runyon, who is charged with extortion.
Other Arch employees and vendors face various charges, including
lying to law enforcement, filing a false tax return, mail fraud and structuring
cash withdrawals.
The charges stem from an investigation conducted by the FBI, IRS
Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service and the West
Virginia State Police.
