Great Lakes Wire

Jeffrey Bartlett, Brian Bartlett, and Andrew Semenchuk have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) through fraudulent activities involving highway construction contracts in Michigan. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr., along with Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Michigan Division, and Anthony Licari, Special Agent in Charge of the USDOT – Midwestern Region.

According to information presented during plea hearings, from February 2011 through July 2019, the Bartletts and Semenchuk operated Surveying Solutions Inc. (SSI), a Standish-based surveying firm that received millions of dollars in contracts from the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT). These contracts were largely funded by federal dollars via USDOT. The group engaged in fraudulent overbilling practices on these projects, leading MDOT to make substantial overpayments to SSI. The proceeds from these overpayments were distributed among those involved.

The scheme included submitting false claims for employee and technology costs that did not exist, inflating equipment and property lease expenses, and hiding true ownership interests within SSI entities as part of their efforts to justify the excess billing.

“Today’s guilty plea highlights a calculated attempt to exploit the competitive contracting process for personal enrichment,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office. “Fraud of this nature erodes public trust, undermines the integrity of government programs, and unfairly disadvantages honest businesses. I want to commend the dedicated agents of our Bay City Resident Agency for their thorough and meticulous investigative efforts. The FBI in Michigan remains steadfast in our commitment to work alongside our law enforcement partners to uncover complex financial crimes and ensure those responsible are held fully accountable under the law.”

“Contracting with the United States government demands fairness and integrity,” said Anthony Licari, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Midwestern Region. “Our agents will continue to collaborate closely with law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to identify and dismantle fraud schemes that undermine public trust and compromise DOT-funded programs in Michigan and across the nation.”

The investigation was led by both the Federal Bureau of Investigation and USDOT’s Office of Inspector General. Prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Karen L. Reyolds, T. Patrick Martin, William Vailliencourt, and K. Craig Welkener.