Illinois College Halts Project Because of Contractor’s Fraud Indictment

A suburban Chicago college has halted plans to seal coat its parking lots because the contractor selected for the project is under indictment. College officials initially decided to accept the company’s low bid, despite pending criminal charges, after an attorney advised them to require a performance bond and monitor the project closely, according to the college’s executive director of public relations and marketing. They put the project on hold after a local newspaper learned the contractor has been charged with defrauding several municipalities of more than $400,000. Lake County News-Sun (Gurnee, Ill.)