Twenty-nine truckers, three dispatchers and nine heating oil companies were among the 44 indicted in a multi-million-dollar scheme that shorted New York City customers ranging from a homeless shelter to police departments.
On Nov. 10, District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr. announced the New York State Supreme Court indictments for participation in the theft, resale and purchase of stolen heating oil. Drivers received money for each gallon shorted and dispatchers were paid for giving companies preferable stops to short customers.
At least $4 million of the $18 million stolen annually was from city customers such as law enforcement. But both residential and commercial customers were affected and the shorted delivery points included hospitals, schools and mom-and-pop operations.
Law enforcement retained 48 of the 58 trucks from eight companies seized as evidence.
The multi-agency investigation began with a whistle blower tip in February 2013.
The indicted heating oil transportation and retail companies include: F&S Distribution, Inc., G&D Petroleum Transportation, Inc., G&D Heating Oil Inc., Casanova Fuel Oil, Inc., Express Petroleum, Inc., 4th Avenue Transport, Inc., All-Boro Transportation, Inc., Enterprise Transportation, Inc. and Century Star Fuel Corp.
Heating oil consumers usually order directly from retailers, which use transport companies to deliver. The transport companies are responsible for delivering oil to locations supplied by the retailer or terminal. They then print delivery tickets for customers as proof of delivery.
