Harrison Trash Hauler Padded $800,000 Worth Of Bills

HARRISON, NY — The owner and operator of County Waste Management overbilled more than 17 commercial customers for $800,000 in ill-gotten gains, Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced. Ralph Mancini of Harrison pleaded guilty Nov. 13 to mail fraud and admitted he had defrauded numerous customers.

"For more than eight years, Ralph Mancini, the owner and operator of County Waste Management, illegally overbilled local businesses that contracted with him to do their waste disposal," Berman said. "Mancini has now pled guilty to hauling in over $800,000 from his victims, and faces serious time in prison."

Mancini pleaded guilty to mail fraud before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lisa Margaret Smith. Prosecutors said he skimmed from 17 commercial customers between 2008 and 2016, including local educational institutions, department stores and grocery stores. Basically, the company sent out bills that falsified the tonnage of waste collected.

Mancini, 57, pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud.

That carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. However, the maximum in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as sentencing will be determined by the judge.

Mancini is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Nelson S. Román on Feb. 14, 2020.

Berman praised the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He also thanked the Westchester County Department of Public Safety and the Westchester County Solid Waste Commission for their assistance in the investigation.