In a marked turn of events, two key figures behind the reputable Standish-based surveying firm Surveying Solutions Inc. (SSI) have admitted to engaging in fraudulent dealings that cost the U.S. Department of Transportation, as they entered a guilty plea. In a straight-to-the-point announcement, U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. revealed that Anthony Thelen and Adam Ball, tied to SSI as current and former executives, respectively, conspired in a scheme that triggered an overpayment in the millions by the Michigan Department of Transportation, as per the Eastern District of Michigan's U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The duo, hailing from Michigan, alongside their co-defendants Jeffrey Bartlett, Brian Bartlett, and Andrew Semenchuk who already pleaded guilty on July 28, 2025, partook in this fraudulent overbilling; this involved inflating expenses on labor, technology, equipment leases and misrepresenting the company's governance to justify their bloated claims, from around February 2011 through July 2019, these actions effectively misguided the MDOT into making excess payments, significantly lining their pockets. In detailed accounts presented during plea hearings, the scheme was found to comprise the falsification of various costs and manipulation of ownership details to exploit federally funded contracts through USDOT. Now, amid these revelations, SSI has struck a deal to keep criminal prosecution at bay; this agreement hinges on a pledge to tighten internal controls, adhere to reporting mandates, and pony up a $1.1 million penalty as outlined in the same statement.
This pivotal decision for the surveying enterprise follows intense scrutiny from law enforcement, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the USDOT's Inspector General. In line with the non-prosecution agreement forged with the government, SSI is mandated to institute a more rigorous compliance program and provide updates on its progress in remedying past misconduct and establishing mechanisms to avert similar fraudulent activity. By fulfilling the provisions stated by the United States Attorney’s Office, the company can sidestep criminal charges, a move that emphasizes the cooperation SSI showed throughout the investigation and the significant remedial adjustments it has made. These included a management overhaul and the establishment of their new compliance infrastructure, indicative of their committed approach toward rectification and transparency.
The investigation, led by the FBI and USDOT-Office of Inspector General, was managed by Assistant United States Attorneys Karen L. Reyolds, T. Patrick Martin, William Vailliencourt, and K. Craig Welkener; these prosecutorial forces pieced together the evidence that ultimately compelled the guilty pleas of the SSI associates. SSI's path to redemption carries a hefty price tag that reflects the scaled efforts to atone for its past misdeeds, they've entered an agreement that spares them the heavy burden of criminal prosecution, given that they honor the stipulations laid forth which include the implementation of a stringent oversight system, designed to flag and prevent any recurrence of the fiscal misbehavior that landed them in hot water in the first place. The firm's willingness to confront its issues head-on has been noted as a significant factor in the resolution of this case.
