From the Sun-Times

Engineering firm charged with bilking $1M out of IDOT
KAM ENGINEERING | State continues to pay company despite probe
April 22, 2008
BY CHRIS FUSCO Staff Reporter/
An Elgin engineering firm intentionally overcharged the state more than $1 million on various projects between 1994 and August 2003, federal authorities said Monday in announcing fraud charges against the company and its owner.
Kamleshwar Gupta -- founder and owner of KAM Engineering Inc. -- signed fraudulent invoices and directed a bookkeeper to alter timesheets as part of the alleged scheme, which bilked the Illinois Department of Transportation out of $1,069,293, according to a federal indictment.
IDOT auditors found the alleged irregularities and assisted investigators with the case, according to a news release from the U.S. attorney's office in Chicago.
The indictment seeks forfeiture of all proceeds from the alleged scheme, but IDOT spokesman Mike Claffey said that KAM Engineering already has repaid the state. The money, he said, was recovered in two installments: $344,000 in 2003 and $724,000 in 2005.
Gupta, 63, of Barrington, could not be reached for comment.
He and his company, which has about 30 employees, each are set to be arraigned on April 30 on four counts of mail fraud. Each count carries a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
KAM Engineering apparently has continued to work for the state despite being under investigation, records show.
It is set to make $46,065 from the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority this year and has been paid more than $246,000 since 2004 under IDOT and tollway contracts.
Claffey said IDOT suspended the firm from obtaining new state business in December 2004. It was unclear what the payments since that year have been for.
KAM Engineering has contributed a total of $28,400 to state politicians since 1996, including $15,000 to Gov. Blagojevich.