OH, COME ON

Construction Boss’ Daughter Posed as Black Woman to Get Millions in Army Contracts, Feds Say

Construction company boss Richard Platt’s “blond, blue-eyed daughter” won the firm $7 million worth of business it wasn’t entitled to, say prosecutors.

A Milwaukee-area construction contractor providing services to the U.S. Army and other government entities is being investigated for having his “blond, blue-eyed daughter” pose as a Black woman to try and get contracts set aside for “socially and economically disadvantaged individuals,” alleges a search warrant application unsealed Tuesday and reviewed by The Daily Beast. Platt Construction was not eligible for the jobs, and bids from owner Richard Platt’s daughter Nicole, who the feds say has a background in dance and theater, not construction, were rejected several times for various technical reasons. But the Platts eventually got some $7 million in Army contracts after they allegedly set up a shell company in a local barbershop, claiming a special carveout for businesses in “historically underutilized” areas. In March, federal prosecutors asked for the case filings to be kept sealed for a six-month period, which would “allow the government to complete its investigation, at which time the government anticipates that appropriate criminal charges can be brought against the targets of this investigation.” No charges were listed on the federal docket as of Tuesday afternoon, and the pair do not have legal representation listed in court records.

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