Construction Company Owner Sentenced to Prison for Tax Crimes, False Statements About Fatal Workplace Accident
A Medford, Massachusetts construction company owner was sentenced to prison and ordered to pay $2.8 million for tax crimes and lying about a fatal workplace accident.
- By Robert Yaniz Jr.
- Jan 07, 2025
A Medford, Massachusetts, construction company owner has been sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to multiple tax crimes and making false statements during a federal investigation into a fatal workplace incident.
According to a recent release, Mauricio Baiense—the owner of Contract Framing Builders Inc.—was also ordered to pay $2,824,577 in restitution to the U.S. government and will serve one year of supervised release following his prison term. The sentencing occurred in federal district court on Dec. 10, 2024.
Baiense admitted to one count of conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government, seven counts of failing to collect and pay taxes, one count of aiding in the preparation of a false tax return and one count of making false statements.
The charges stemmed from his false testimony during an OSHA hearing. Baiense denied under oath that a worker who died in a March 2021 workplace incident was employed by his company.
"When employers make false statements to OSHA investigators to cover up unsafe practices, they leave employees exposed to workplace injuries and deaths," Acting Regional Administrator Jeffrey Erskine in Boston said in a statement. "We are grateful to our staff, investigative partners and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts, for the hard work they put in to ensure Mauricio Baiense will be held criminally accountable for his deceit."
About the Author
Robert Yaniz Jr. is the Content Editor of Occupational Health & Safety.