Facing criminal charges, Glenn O. Hawbaker suspended from bidding on new Pa. projects
A major construction contractor that’s one of the top employers in Centre County is temporarily suspended from bidding on or participating in contracts for new state highway projects.
Glenn O. Hawbaker was suspended by the state Department of Transportation for at least three months. A PennDOT spokeswoman termed it an “initial period” in a written statement, opening the door for the suspension to be extended.
The suspension went into effect April 19. The business based in Patton Township may continue to work under agreements reached before April 19, PennDOT said.
The company was accused earlier this month of stealing tens of millions of dollars from its workers by systematically violating state and federal prevailing wage laws on taxpayer-funded infrastructure projects.
Pennsylvania’s top prosecutor called it a “massive, unprecedented fraud” and the largest case of its kind nationally.
The company stole more than $20 million from workers for more than three decades to undercut competitors, offset costs and fund company bonuses, state Attorney Josh Shapiro said.
Hawbaker said it immediately changed its prevailing wage practices once it learned of the investigation that continued for three years.
The company blamed its practices on bad advice from a former company lawyer, investigators wrote in an affidavit of probable cause.
No executives were charged. The company was charged with four felony counts of theft.
A formal arraignment is scheduled for May 12.