EPA fugitive Albania Deleon was arrested in the Dominican Republic 19 months after fleeing her federal sentencing hearing. Deleon was wanted by the EPA for certifying individuals as having asbestos removal training when in fact, they had never taken the required coursework.
“Albania Deleon put communities at risk by issuing fraudulent asbestos-removal training certificates to hundreds of untrained workers,” says Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “This is yet another example of great teamwork and dedication of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, U.S. Marshals Service and our own special agents who protect the American people from environmental crimes.”
From 2001-2006, Deleon was the owner and operator of Environmental Compliance Training (ECT), a certified asbestos training school in Methuen, MA.
Under Deleon’s direction, ECT employees issued hundreds of certificates to people who never took the course. These people then filed the false certification with the Massachusetts Division of Occupational Safety for authorization for eligibility to work in the asbestos removal industry. Many recipients were illegal aliens.
Deleon faces extradition from the Dominican Republic. Upon return to the United States, Deleon will face one count of conspiracy to make false statements, to encourage illegal aliens to reside in the United States and to hire illegal aliens, five counts of making false statements within the jurisdiction of the EPA, 16 counts of procuring false payroll tax returns, and five counts of mail fraud.
