Port Everglades scandal racks up 2 guilty pleas

This leaves open the possibility of additional charges against others

Two of five individuals charged with ripping off the county in a Port Everglades purchasing scandal pleaded guilty Wednesday to conspiring to commit fraud.

Their pleas left open the possibility of additional charges against others at the Broward County-owned port — or doing business there. Both agreed to cooperate with investigators looking into questionable purchases at the port involving county purchasing cards, called P-Cards, which are similar to credit cards and issued to some employees.

David Moore, a former plumber at the port, and Bryan Zascavage, whose Z&Z Inc. company did business at the port, entered their pleas in federal court in Miami before District Judge Ursula Ungaro. They’re scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 10.

They were charged July 17 along with three others with using P-Cards to charge for goods and services that were never delivered to the port — and collecting money for themselves instead. The five charges brought in July involved more than $400,000 in questionable expenses over the past decade.

The others have pleaded not guilty and their cases are set to go to trial. The three are William Woessner, who was employed in the port’s plumbing department; John McGahee, who works in the fendering department that handles the bumpers used to protect ships at dock; and Rajindra Lallharry, who was a port storekeeper.

Each was charged with a felony, conspiracy to commit fraud with programs receiving federal funds, which has a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of either $250,000 or double their gross gain, whichever is greater.

McGahee, who was the only port employee charged who was still employed by the county, was fired July 26, port officials said.

Attorneys for Zascavage and Moore said their clients got caught up in something bigger than themselves.

Attorney Paul David Lazarus said his client, Zascavage, is “a minor player in this drama.”

Attorney Fred Schwartz said Moore had led a crime-free life.

“He hadn’t done anything wrong until the somewhat pervasive atmosphere at the port caused him to go slightly astray,” Schwartz said. “He hopes to correct his mistakes going forward.”

Schwartz said Moore could be facing 10 to 16 months in prison based on sentencing guidelines, but he hopes to see that reduced even more by Moore’s cooperation in the investigation into

wrongdoing at the port.

“There’s potentially additional charges,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Kaplan said. His office might consider a lesser sentencing recommendation depending on the cooperation it receives from Zascavage and Moore, he said.

County auditors became aware of the alleged abuse last summer and the county suspended more than 30 PCards held by port public works employees. The federal government got involved because the port in Fort Lauderdale receives taxpayer-supported federal grants and subsidies and other federal assistance.

Moore, of Pompano Beach, was fired by the county in August 2018, but later allowed to resign after his union objected to the procedures the county used in the firing. County auditors said Moore in a year’s time had made more than $18,000 in questionable purchases, including 11 faucets, 11 backflow-preventer repair kits and 108 feet of red brass pipe that could not be accounted for.

Zascavage, of Pompano Beach, was accused of splitting a total of $207,444 obtained through his alleged fraud with Moore, McGahee and Woessner.