August 30, 2025
Caroline Spivack
August 30, 2025
Federal prosecutors in Manhattan are accusing two inspectors of faking hundreds of safety checks for Con Edison natural gas pipelines in New York City and Westchester County meant to prevent gas leaks and explosions, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.
Law enforcement officials on Thursday arrested and charged Liam Treibert, 30, and Michael Vasconcellos, 44, with wire fraud for a nine-year scheme where they falsified hundreds of critical safety inspections for the pipelines, which deliver natural gas to homes and businesses throughout the metro region, according to the indictment filed in the Southern District of New York. The fraud has forced Con Edison to spend millions of dollars excavating pipes for new tests and repairs, court papers show. Con Edison declined to share a cost estimate for the work.
“We have identified and are addressing known weld irregularities linked to third-party contractors,” said Con Edison spokesman Allan Drury, “and in the meantime have implemented enhanced monitoring to ensure the continued safe operation of our gas system.”
Federal prosecutors said in court papers that between 2016 and 2023 Con Edison contracted Treibert and Vasconcellos to perform safety inspections of welding on natural gas pipelines installed in the Bronx and Westchester County.
The pair, however, lied about performing hundreds of inspections and created fraudulent records to cover up that they never actually examined the pipes. As a result, Con Edison paid for hundreds of sham inspections, according to the indictment.
Typically, when Con Edison installs a natural gas pipeline it places segments of pipe into the ground and welds those pieces together. Before a pipeline can deliver natural gas to customers, the weld must be inspected.
Such checks are often done with a sort of x-ray of the equipment to identify any defects. If defects are found, the weld is repaired and the pipeline is cleared for use. Failing to do so can lead to leaks and explosions. Treibert and Vasconcellos passed off actual x-rays of pipes they checked in place of ones they didn’t check, and in doing so jeopardized lives and property damage, court papers said.
In a statement, New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang said that Treibert and Vasconcellos put entire Bronx and Westchester communities at risk, and must face consequences for their actions.
If convicted, the men face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.