Editing Big Dig (section)

=== Substandard materials ===
[[Massachusetts State Police]] searched the offices of [[Aggregate Industries]], the largest concrete supplier for the underground portions of the project, in June 2005. They seized evidence that Aggregate delivered concrete that did not meet contract specifications. In March 2006 [[Massachusetts Attorney General]] [[Thomas Reilly (Massachusetts politician)|Tom Reilly]] announced plans to sue project contractors and others because of poor work on the project. Over 200 complaints were filed by the state of Massachusetts as a result of leaks, cost overruns, quality concerns, and safety violations. In total, the state has sought approximately $100 million from the contractors ($1 for every $141 spent).<ref name="Reuters-StateWeighs">{{Cite news|url=http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/03/19/news/notes.php |title=State weighs suing 'Big Dig' contractors |work=International Herald Tribune |date=March 20, 2006 |access-date=July 17, 2006| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20060718094219/http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/03/19/news/notes.php| archive-date= July 18, 2006 | url-status= live}}</ref>

In May 2006, six employees of the company were arrested and charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States. The employees were accused of reusing old concrete and double-billing loads.<ref>{{cite news |title= Arrests For Big Dig Concrete Fraud |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/arrests-for-big-dig-concrete-fraud/ |work=www.cbsnews.com|date = May 4, 2006|agency = Associated Press}}</ref> In July 2007, Aggregate Industries settled the case with an agreement to pay $50 million. $42 million of the settlement went to civil cases and $8 million was paid in criminal fines. The company will provide $75 million in insurance for maintenance as well as pay $500,000 toward routine checks on areas suspected to contain substandard concrete.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/east/2007/07/30/82122.htm |title= Concrete Supplier to Pay $50 Million to Settle Big Dig Case |publisher=Insurancejournal.com |date=July 30, 2007 |access-date=April 8, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140408212726/http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/east/2007/07/30/82122.htm |archive-date=April 8, 2014 }}</ref>

In July 2009, two of the accused, Gerard McNally and Keith Thomas, both managers, pled guilty to charges of conspiracy, mail fraud, and filing false reports.<ref>{{cite news |last1=LAVOIE |first1=DENISE |title=2 to plead guilty in Big Dig concrete case |url=https://www.courant.com/sdut-2-to-plead-guilty-in-big-dig-concrete-case-2009jul08-story.html |work=courant.com |access-date=October 22, 2020 |archive-date=May 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210518024414/https://www.courant.com/sdut-2-to-plead-guilty-in-big-dig-concrete-case-2009jul08-story.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> The following month, the remaining four, Robert Prosperi, Mark Blais, Gregory Stevenson, and John Farrar, were found guilty on conspiracy and fraud charges.<ref>{{cite news |title=4 Ex-Contractors Found Guilty In Big Dig Fraud |url=https://www.wbur.org/news/2009/08/04/big-dig-fraud |work=www.wbur.org |language=en|date = August 4, 2009|agency = Associated Press}}</ref> The four were sentenced to probation and home confinement and Blais and Farrar were additionally sentenced to community service.<ref>{{cite news |title=4 get probation for Boston Big Dig concrete fraud |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-4-get-probation-for-boston-big-dig-concrete-fraud-2010may27-story.html |work=San Diego Union-Tribune |date=27 May 2010}}</ref>