Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Safety inspectors charged with faking gas pipeline checks throughout NYC, Westchester
By
Giulia Heyward
Published Aug 28, 2025
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Lindsey Nicholson/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
By
Giulia Heyward
Published Aug 28, 2025
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Federal prosecutors in Manhattan charged two workers with faking hundreds of safety inspections meant to ensure Con Edison's natural gas pipelines throughout New York City and Westchester County were protected from gas leaks or explosions, according to the U.S. Attorney's office.
Liam Treibert, 30, and Michael Vasconcellos, 44, are accused of falsifying records to show that they had completed critical safety tests of welds on natural gas pipelines from 2016 to 2023, per the indictment.
“They lied about having performed hundreds of inspections and then covered up those lies with fraudulent paperwork. Their actions put the lives of New Yorkers at risk,” said Jay Clayton, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York.
They are both facing charges of wire fraud, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years.
Prosecutors said Treibert and Vasconcellos performed X-ray testing on one weld and then passed off a copy of the same test for other welded connections, a process known as “radaring.”
Both men successfully conned Con Ed into thinking they had performed inspections on hundreds of pipeline connections throughout the Bronx and Westchester County, which the utility then paid for, according to prosecutors.
"We have identified and are addressing known weld irregularities linked to third-party contractors and in the meantime have implemented enhanced monitoring to ensure the continued safe operation of our gas system," Con Ed spokesperson Jamie McShane said in a statement. "Today’s indictment will help deter future misconduct against Con Edison."
Attorney information for Treibert and Vasconcellos was not immediately available.
This is a developing story and may be updated.
Tagged
new york city
public safety
westchester county
Giulia Heyward
Giulia Heyward is a breaking news reporter on the Day-Of desk. She previously worked at NPR, as a breaking news reporter, and the New York Times, as a reporting fellow on the national desk. Her work has also appeared in CNN, The Atlantic and Politico. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or more securely on signal at 917-715-1458.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Dump truck driver hits and kills cyclist on 34th Street in Midtown, NYPD says
It's the latest in a string of hit-and-run deaths in the city in recent months.
By
Liam Quigley
Published Sep 28, 2026 at 4:15 p.m. ET
New ingredient mandated for Latin American kitchen, restaurant plates in NJ
The Garden State now requires that corn masa dough and flour made and sold in the state be fortified with folic acid.
By
Arya Sundaram
News
New ingredient mandated for Latin American kitchen, restaurant plates in NJ
The Garden State now requires that corn masa dough and flour made and sold in the state be fortified with folic acid.
By
Arya Sundaram
A Brooklyn jail cell filled with smoke. The emergency button failed, a lawyer said.
By
Samantha Max
Crews launch tunnel machines to dig first new Hudson River rail tunnels since 1910
By
Michael Sol Warren
NYC nor’easter dries up after weather service reports minor flooding
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .