Common Fraud Schemes on Transporation Construction Projects

Whether it is the $1.6 billion Cincinnati Southern Railroad Trust and the “Cincy on Track Plan;” the $1.3 billion Brent Spence Bridge Project; the $400 million (and counting) Western Hills Viaduct Project; you can be assured that construction and procurement fraud will be with us in Cincinnati for years to come.

The fraudsters who are planning on illegal profits, from schemes that jeopardize the costs, schedules and integrity of our construction projects, are very likely already prepared for the public’s money to really start flowing.

Whether you are managing or employed on a construction project; or know someone who is; a supplier of construction materials; or is responsible for oversight of related projects, there are existing resources you can tap into to learn about the type of fraud schemes that are common on construction projects.

One of those resources is the U.S. DOT Office of Inspector General. The USDOT OIG has a history of promoting education and coordination among law enforcement, oversight agencies and the public in the area of transportation construction fraud.

For example, this is a link to a series of “Fraud Cards” published by the DOT OIG on their website that explain many of the common fraud schemes the OIG investigates:

https://www.oig.dot.gov/investigations/common-fraud-schemes

In addition, the Cincinnati Oversight Project is developing a public awareness campaign about fraud in transportation projects. Stay tuned for that.