A Millbury man who as soon as ran the upkeep of Boston Public Faculties’ bus fleet is charged with utilizing his place to solicit and obtain bribes — together with a pickup truck and constructing supplies for his trip home — from distributors.
“What time we meeting and were [sic]? We can meet on pike at rest stop if that works. Also are u giving my whole half or half of what you have? I have today off and want to do some shopping so sooner would be great,” Michael Muller, who ran upkeep for BPS college buses, texted a vendor he was allegedly extorting for private revenue.
Federal prosecutors charged Muller, 59, of Millbury, with 5 counts every of soliciting and accepting bribes as an agent of BPS, conspiring to commit bribery, and conspiring to commit trustworthy providers mail fraud, in addition to 4 counts of extortion. He appeared in federal courtroom in Boston with a retained lawyer on Friday afternoon. One of many alleged bribe payers was additionally arrested in Florida and appeared in courtroom there and can seem in Boston later.
The bribery-related expenses carry as much as a decade in federal jail, whereas the mail fraud and extortion expenses carry a penalty of as much as 20 years in jail.
“Families and taxpayers trust that the people overseeing their children’s school buses are doing the right thing, not looking for a payout. As alleged, these defendants broke that trust — treating taxpayer-funded contracts as a source of illicit income and, for years, siphoning off money that should have supported students,” U.S. Legal professional for Massachusetts Leah Foley stated.
Muller was employed by a transportation firm not named within the 21-count indictment that served because the contractor answerable for working and sustaining BPS’ bus fleet. Particularly, Muller ran the outlets the place the buses have been maintained and oversaw a workers of round 50 staff, together with mechanics. Central to the fees towards him is that he additionally managed distributors supplying these outlets and will hearth them or change their ranges of involvement.
In brief, in keeping with the contract between the transportation firm and BPS, Muller’s function was described as “the quality contract leader of the shop” tasked with guaranteeing “that BPS’s fleet is safe, well-maintained and ready for service on a daily basis.” BPS maintains such garages in Roxbury, Dorchester and Hyde Park and did have a storage in Charlestown till 2019, in keeping with courtroom data.
BPS stated that it grew to become conscious of the allegations in 2022 and “instantly contacted legislation enforcement, ensured Muller’s firing, and has absolutely cooperated with the investigation ever since.
“The new bus contract, signed in 2023, requires greater transparency and stronger oversight of payments for maintenance and facilities related work,” the BPS assertion continues. “BPS will continue to fully cooperate with law enforcement to ensure individuals who have betrayed the public trust are held fully accountable.”
Between 2010 and December 2021, when he was terminated from the transportation firm, federal prosecutors say, Muller solicited and accepted greater than $870,000 in bribes and kickbacks from 5 distributors — together with a small building firm operated by John Colantuoni, 60, of Westwood, who additionally faces federal expenses for his function.
Prosecutors say that Muller obtained bribes together with money, checks, a used pickup truck price $15,000 and $85,000 in constructing supplies for his trip dwelling in Pascoag, Rhode Island — and even a job for his grownup baby.
A technique these bribes went down is illustrated by his alleged dealings with “Vendor Two.” Prosecutors say Muller directed the corporate, which energy washed the college buses, to overstate on their invoices what number of buses they cleaned and that Muller would pocket the distinction between what BPS paid them and the work they really carried out. It was an analogous setup with an organization that cleaned snow off of facility roofs — or didn’t and stated they did on a $189,444 bill, most of which allegedly ended up in Muller’s pocket.
“Today’s arrests are shining a light on an alleged bribery and kickback scheme spearheaded by the manager of a company entrusted by Boston Public Schools to maintain its fleet of vehicles used to transport the city’s most precious cargo, its children,” stated Ted E. Docks, Particular Agent in Cost of the FBI’s Boston Division. “These two men stand accused of padding their income with ease, turning a tidy profit at the expense of taxpayers. Add in the allegations of extortion and obstruction of justice and you’ve practically got a playbook of the varied ways to violate the public’s trust.”
