Ground Zero Fraudster Faces Jail

In America a construction official falsely billed $1.2 million for supplies not delivered to clean up a toxic ground zero skyscraper in exchange for cash, clothes and trips to the Caribbean, prosecutors said Tuesday.

Robert Chiarappa was the agent for the John Galt Corp., which was hired to clean up the former Deutsche Bank tower after it was heavily damaged in the 2001 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center across the street.

Prosecutors said Chiarappa told companies to submit phony bills for plastic sheeting, safety equipment, gloves and protective clothing; he signed off on the invoices and used his take of the payments to pay credit card bills, lease luxury automobiles and take a vacation in the Turks and Caicos islands, prosecutors said.

Chiarappa pleaded not guilty to six counts of grand larceny at his arraignment Tuesday and was held on $100,000 bail.Chiarappa, 45, of Brooklyn, faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.