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Yonkers resident Ricardo Jimenez has been indicted on charges related to a bribery, kickback, and money laundering scheme aimed at defrauding the Chappaqua Central School District.
Specifically, Jimenez, 54, was charged with:
- Corrupting the government;
- Bribery;
- Rewarding official misconduct;
- Two counts of money laundering;
- Conspiracy.
At the time of his arrest, Jimenez was employed at Johnson Controls, Inc., which was a vendor to the school district.
Westchester County District Attorney Anthony Scarpino, Jr. said that Jimenez and co-conspirator, Cortlandt Manor resident Jorge Barreiros, an employee at the Chappaqua School District, conspired together in a scheme to award work projects to Jimenez’s own company, RJ Summit Services, Inc.
As part of the scheme, Jimenez fraudulently billed the district for work actually performed by Barreiros and other staff members directed by Barreiros.
In exchange, Scarpino said that Barreiros insured districtwide work was awarded to RJ Summit and approved Jimenez’s invoices. Then, when the district paid the bills, Jimenez kicked back portions of the payments to Barreiros, by paying him in cash and checks made out from another company.
The scheme ran from November 2014 and August 2017. In total, Jimenez wrongfully obtained over $180,000 from CCSD. Barreiros pleaded guilty in December to similar charges. His sentencing is pending.
Jimenez was released following his arraignment and scheduled to appear back in court on Wednesday, Nov. 18.
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