NEWARK, N.J. - A Monroe, New York, man, was charged today with accepting a $75,000 bribe for his assistance in securing a contract between a metallurgical technology company and his employer, a medical device company in New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Daniel Lawyrnowicz, 46, is charged by complaint with violating the Federal Travel Act for accepting $75,000 from the technology Company in consideration for his assistance in obtaining the contract. Lawyrnowicz is expected to appear later today before U.S. Magistrate Judge James B. Clark III in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Dec. 22, 2015, an individual representing the technology company made a consensually recorded call to Lawyrnowicz during which the representative said he was nervous about a purported upcoming government audit of his company, and he raised concerns about the $75,000 payment to Lawyrnowicz.
Representative: “I am more worried about that 75k in cash that eh you know that we gave you, I don’t know if that ever comes up, or we deny it right, obviously."
Lawrynowicz: “Yeah, yeah... when is that happening?"
Representative: “It’s ongoing, they called us to say they are auditing us and they just showed up..."
Lawrynowicz: “Let’s get a story together so that ah you know it all has legs and a tail."
The count of violating the Federal Travel Act carries a maximum potential punishment of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s charge.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle M. Corcione of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Health Care and Government Fraud Unit in Newark.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
U.S. Attorney Fishman reorganized the health care fraud practice at the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the District of New Jersey, including creating a stand-alone Health Care and Government Fraud Unit, which handles both criminal and civil investigations and prosecutions of health care fraud offenses. Since 2010, the office has recovered more than $1.29 billion in health care fraud and government fraud settlements, judgments, fines, restitution and forfeiture under the False Claims Act, the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and other statutes.
Defense counsel: Peter Till Esq., Springfield, New Jersey
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
