NYC Fire Alarm Execs Admit to Massive Fraud

Two executives of a fire alarm repair company, Walter Stanzione and William Noegra, pleaded guilty to a decade-long fraud scheme that defrauded New York City agencies out of at least $1.6 million.

The scheme, running from 2009 to 2020, involved fake and inflated invoices submitted to the Department of Citywide Administrative Services, Department of Environmental Protection, Department of Education, and Department of Sanitation.

How the Scheme Worked

Stanzione and Noegra used shell companies to charge three to five times the actual price for alarm parts. They also billed for nonexistent part models and inflated installation payments. Court documents reveal they even had employees create websites and logos for these fake companies.

One of the shell companies was linked to David Motovich, a convicted fraudster who was also a donor to Mayors Eric Adams and Bill de Blasio.

The Consequences

Stanzione and Noegra face significant prison time. Stanzione could face five to six and a half years, while Noegra could face up to three and a half years. Their sentencing dates are yet to be set. U.S. Attorney John Durham stated that the defendants abused their position of trust, defrauding the city out of millions.