Turner Executive Pleads Guilty to Federal Tax Evasion in Bribery Scheme

Vito Nigro, a former Turner Construction Co. project superintendent, pleaded guilty yesterday to federal tax evasion on more than $1.8 million in unlawful payments received from subcontractors. This is the latest guilty plea in a bribery scheme involving several Turner and Bloomberg executives from 2011 to 2017 taking bribes in exchange for awarding contractors for Bloomberg projects.

Nigro was accused of receiving more than $1,350,000 in cash from at least five different subcontractors, some of which made payments in connection with more than one work project. In addition, he caused subcontractors to pay more than $350,000 to third parties for materials and services to be used at his personal residence and elsewhere. He also received watches, electronics, appliances and tickets. The case is being handled by the U.S. District Court of the Southern District of New York.

Earlier this month, Nigro pleaded guilty to grand larceny in the first degree, a charge brought forth by the Manhattan District Attorney’s office in related proceedings.

In August, Ronald Olson, vice president and account executive at Turner, pleaded guilty to charges of evading federal taxes on more than $1.5 million in bribes. He also pleaded guilty to state charges of grand larceny in the first degree earlier this month. Both men were promised sentences of no more than three to nine years in state prison, with a minimum of one to three years.

Anthony Guzzone, former head of global construction at Bloomberg, and Michael Campana, former Bloomberg construction manager, pleaded guilty to state charges of grand larceny in the first degree and money laundering in the third degree, respectfully. On July 24, 2020 in related proceedings, Campana was sentenced to 24 months in prison for evading taxes on more than $420,000 in the bribery scheme. Guzzone was charged with evading federal taxes on more than $1.4 million in bribes.