Users of
concrete tools may have heard about a recent case involving the former executive of a testing company recently jailed for up to 21 years.
V Reddy Kancharla previously worked for Testwell Laboratories, which was a concrete tester in New York City and regularly employed to analyse and measure the strength of the material at high-profile locations such as subway stops and the Bronx's Yankee Stadium.
However, Kancharla was accused of faking concrete mix and strength tests, filling out fake inspection reports and falsifying records.
In February, he was found guilty and this week handed a sentence of between seven and 21 years in prison, plus fines and costs totalling almost \$2 million.
Because concrete testing firms are in charge of ensuring structures are up to spec, people could have been at risk from the fraud. Monitors are said to have uncovered irregularities showing that Testwell had cut corners. While Kancharla was convicted of 15 counts, the company was also found guilty of 11, the New York Times reported.
"I want you to know that Testwell was not a criminal enterprise - and that I am not a criminal mastermind," he told the judge. "I should have paid more attention to the concrete mix design programme and should have implemented more checks and balances."
Posted by Andrew Miles
