October 15, 2014

Painting Contractor Sentenced to Prison for Paying $800,000 in Bribes to West Haven Housing Authority Official

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that HARRY P. MICONI, 78, of West Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to six months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, the first six months of which MICONI must spend in home confinement, for bribing the former executive director of the West Haven Housing Authority.

According to court documents and statements made in court, MICONI owned and operated several painting and contracting businesses in West Haven, including P and K Contractor LLC. Between January 2007 and February 2012, MICONI and his business made more than $800,000 in corrupt payments to Michael Siwek, the executive director of the West Haven Housing Authority, and to Four Star Development Company LLC, an entity personally owned and controlled by Siwek. In return, Siwek directed approximately $2.8 million in business for or with the West Haven Housing Authority and its two affiliated instrumentalities, Meadow Landing and Spring Heights, to MICONI and his businesses. Meadow Landing and Spring Heights are two housing complexes that are owned and managed, in part, by the West Haven Housing Authority.

As part of his sentence, MICONI was ordered to pay $862,563 in restitution.

On November 6, 2013, MICONI pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery in connection with a program receiving federal funds.

On September 4, 2014, SIWEK pleaded guilty to bribery and tax evasion charges stemming from his receipt of approximately $1.5 million in bribes from MICONI and others while he was employed by the West Haven Housing Authority. He awaits sentencing.

U.S. Attorney Daly stated that the investigation is ongoing.

This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Karwan.