David Wikel, president of Florida-based Therma-Seal Roof Systems, LLC, was charged with providing kickbacks in connection with the $1.7 million dollar federal government subcontract to retrofit the roof of the Ron de Lugo Federal Building in St. Thomas, U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced Monday.
According to the information filed in the case, in May through October 2014 Wikel paid more than $200,000 in kickbacks to a senior project manager for the prime contractor on the Ron de Lugo Project, and that person ultimately funneled $85,000 back to Wikel. The information also alleges that Wikel falsely inflated the costs billed under the subcontract in order to cover the kickbacks.
This case is being investigated by the General Services Administration – Office of the Inspector General, the Department of Veterans Affairs – Office of the Inspector General, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and the FBI. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan Brooks.
