PennDOT corruption case: Contractor turns self in

BRIDGEPORT, Pa. (WPVI) -- There is more fallout in the investigation into corruption involving PennDOT.

Contractor Christoper Czop turned himself in Thursday morning at the District Justice office in Bridgeport.

Czop is accused of gaining more than $1 million in profits through illegal consulting contracts with PennDOT.

Czop's attorney says the charges don't have any merit.

Attorney general Kathleen Kane charged a dozen others in connection with the scheme last year.

PennDOT released the following statement Thursday afternoon:

PennDOT cannot and should not be judged by alleged instances of a few individuals dishonoring our commitment to the people of Pennsylvania.

Attorney General Kane in her news release thanked us for our cooperation.

And this is because as soon as PennDOT was first tipped to these allegations in 2013, top management started immediately to investigate and take corrective steps.

Since then, PennDOT has taken appropriate personnel actions, terminated vendors and undertook thorough operational and financial reviews of maintenance and consultant functions in District 6.

We trimmed instances of consultants managing consultants, suspended two consultant firms in December, brought more of the work in-house and otherwise reorganized the District's fiscal, maintenance and consultant functions. In addition, we stepped up Central Office oversight of contracting and consultant operations.

Moreover, the Secretary has directed that an outside review be done of the District's organizational structure to ensure that it has the necessary and appropriate levels of staffing and support to deliver its program.

We are working hard to establish anew that PennDOT and its people are working honestly and diligently to wisely use taxpayer resources to deliver the best transportation possible.