Crane Shame: Bribery Charges That’ll Make You Collapse

[WSJ_law_blog]

In the “we couldn’t make this up if we wanted to” department, the office of Robert Morgenthau, the Manhattan DA, has announced the arrest of James Delayo, the chief inspector for Cranes and Derricks. Delayo, a veteran of the New York City Department of Buildings, has been charged with accepting bribes from crane operators and crane companies.

The Manhattan DA’s office has been investigating the spate of construction site incidents in Manhattan, however, these charges relate to events between 2002 and 2007 and are not connected to the recent crane accidents in New York City, according to a spokeswoman at the Manhattan DA’s office.

Delayo is responsible for crane operator examinations, both written and practical, the supervision of other crane inspectors and annual crane inspections, according to the Morgenthau press release. Delayo’s salary was $74,000.

But the complaint reportedly alleges that Delayo supplemented his annual take-home by accepting numerous bribes from a Long Island-based crane company for passing individuals whether or not they had passed the written or practical exams. On one occasion, he allegedly accepted a $500 bribe for passing an individual who had not taken the examination. On another, he allegedly gave a copy of the crane operator’s examination to a crane company operator in exchange for $3000.

Delayo is also charged with accepting bribes, ranging from $200 to $500, to re-certify cranes that he had not been inspected and file false paperwork with the New York City Department of Buildings. He was arrested today and in court entered no plea, according to the AP, which said his lawyer, Lawrence Linzer, declined to comment. He faces a maximum of 22 years in prison.