This item is part of Stockwatch's value added news feed and is only available to Stockwatch subscribers.

Here is a sample of this item:

by Mike Caswell

West Vancouver's John Bennett, recently convicted for a scheme to pay kickbacks to secure a U.S. federal government contract, has asked the judge to throw out his jury conviction. He claims that prosecutors failed to prove any fraud on his part. He says there was no evidence that he knew gifts to officials were anything more than an effort to build goodwill.

The request from Mr. Bennett, 80, comes about six weeks after his three-week jury trial closed with a guilty verdict. Prosecutors claimed that he was part of a scheme to pay kickbacks to the managers of a $250-million soil cleanup project in New Jersey. (All figures are in U.S. dollars.) Between 2001 and 2004 he and others arranged for cash payments, a box suite at a Buffalo Sabres game and a 10-day Mediterranean cruise for project managers. In return, Bennett Environmental received preferred access to the bidding process.

Mr. Bennett is now complaining that, as far as he knew, the kickbacks were innocent payments and purchases. In a motion for acquittal filed on April 22, 2016, he says that the jury had no basis to find otherwise. For example, the Mediterranean cruise was a way for Mr. Bennett's company, Bennett Environmental Inc., to "build its relationship" with the prime contractor on the job.

The remainder is available to Stockwatch subscribers.
Sign-up for a FREE 30-day Stockwatch subscription and SEE NO ADS