College district sues architects, contractors in alleged pay scheme
A lawsuit filed by the San Mateo Community College District on Thursday alleges that two architects and three contractors engaged in a pay-toplay fraud scheme involving former chancellor Ron Galatolo.
The suit, filed in San Mateo County Superior Court, names architectural firms Allana, Buick and Bers, and Bunton Clifford and Associates and construction companies McCarthy Building Cos., Blach Construction and Robert A. Bothman of engaging in a massive fraud scheme to win lucrative contracts worth millions for construction at the Skyline College, College of San Mateo, and Cañada College campuses.
Galatolo was not named as a defendant in the lawsuit.
A person who answered the phone at Robert A. Bothman said the firm had no comment on the lawsuit. The four other defendants could not immediately be reached.
San Mateo County voters approved bond measures worth $1 billion between 2011 and 2014 for construction and equipment improvements at the colleges.
The complaint claims the defendants lavished Galatolo with luxury travel and gifts, including concert tickets, free construction on personal homes, including one on Maui and a job for his daughter, for over 20 years.
The “contractors and their co-conspirators thrived in the resulting quid pro quo environment where monetary favors led to multimillion-dollar contracts,” said a release from Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy, the law firm that filed the suit on behalf of the college district.
Galatolo was placed on administrative leave in 2019 and his $1.6 million contract was rescinded in 2021 for then-undisclosed ethical violations. He was arrested and charged with multiple fraud and corruption charges in April 2022. He pleaded not guilty to all counts.
The suit alleges that the contractors participated in the scheme even though they knew it was illegal.
“The filing of the Complaint today is the first step,” said Anne Marie Murphy of Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy.
“As alleged, there are yet-tobe-identified and named coconspirators. The District will be making sure no stone is unturned and light is shed on the improper relationships that developed between District contractors, the Chancellor, and his cronies.”