Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Gerald Diodati, a Seekonk contractor indicted in a kickback scheme last year, has agreed to plead guilty to a federal conspiracy charge of engaging in unlawful financial transactions with labor officials.

Court documents show that Diodati signed the plea agreement on Monday. He is scheduled to appear before U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith on July 31 and formally plead guilty.

Two weeks ago, Harold L. Tillinghast, Jr., Diodati's codefendant, pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge and agreed to cooperate with the government. There is no mention of cooperation in Diodati's plea agreement.

In November, Tillinghast was indicted with Diodati and Nicholas Manocchio, of Cranston, on charges that they participated in a kickback scheme involving an undercover FBI agent at Rising Sun Mills, a redevelopment project on Valley Street in Olneyville.

Manocchio was Tillinghast's boss at the Laborers' International Union of North America's offices on South Main Street. Manocchio has pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy and aiding and abetting. He is expected to stand trial in September with Tillinghast testifying against him.

Comments

LAP said:

Another fine example of what "unions" represent in this state.

Link | June 10, 2009 2:48 PM
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