Former Business Owner And Town Of Cortlandt Employee Sentenced To Prison For $2.4 Million Environmental Crime Scheme

Press Release Former Business Owner And Town Of Cortlandt Employee Sentenced To Prison For $2.4 Million Environmental Crime Scheme Wednesday, June 11, 2025 Share FacebookLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. XLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. LinkedInLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. Email For Immediate Release U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of New York Jay Clayton, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that GLENN GRIFFIN, the owner and president of Griffin’s Landscaping Corporation, was sentenced to two years in prison for a scheme in which GRIFFIN bribed a Town of Cortlandt employee to gain unauthorized access to a Town facility to dump loads of unauthorized materials. GRIFFIN was also sentenced for a separate bid-rigging scheme. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Vincent L. Briccetti.On May 20, 2025, ROBERT DYCKMAN, the former Assistant General Foreman for the Town of Cortlandt, was sentenced by Judge Briccetti to a year and a day in prison for his participation in the bribery and dumping scheme. As part of their sentences, GRIFFIN and DYCKMAN were each ordered to pay $2.4 million in restitution to their victims.“Glenn Griffin and Robert Dyckman’s corruption not only damaged public land and fragile wetlands but also undermined the public’s faith in our government and institutions” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Griffin, a successful business owner and president, bribed Dyckman so that he could save money and, in the process, illegally dump harmful, unauthorized materials on public property generating $2.4 million in damages. Moreover, Griffin then took government money to remove and haul away the very materials that he had illegally dumped. Together with our law enforcement partners, we are committed to rooting out such brazen and wasteful corruption.” According to statements made in public filings and court proceedings:Illegal Dumping SchemeFrom 2018 until February 2020, GRIFFIN and DYCKMAN engaged in an unauthorized dumping scheme. DYCKMAN gave GRIFFIN and his employees unauthorized access to Arlo Lane, a Cortlandt facility, to dump hundreds of large truckloads of unauthorized materials such as thick concrete, cement with rebar, tiles, bricks, large rocks, and soil. After the illegal dumping, GRIFFIN billed and received payments from the Town of Cortlandt for removing and hauling away the very materials that GRIFFIN had illegally dumped at Arlo Lane with DYCKMAN’s assistance.DYCKMAN generally allowed GRIFFIN and his employees to access Arlo Lane on Saturdays or after working hours. To carry out the scheme, DYCKMAN would attempt to clear senior Town of Cortlandt management away from Arlo Lane around the time of the unauthorized dumping. When DYCKMAN arranged for a subordinate Town of Cortlandt worker to work overtime when GRIFFIN was dumping unauthorized loads, DYCKMAN would falsely record the worker’s overtime as having occurred during the week in order to conceal the scheme.In exchange for access to Arlo Lane, GRIFFIN paid DYCKMAN cash bribes.GRIFFIN and DYCKMAN were ordered to pay the Town of Cortlandt and the Westchester Land Trust, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization which owns damaged wetlands abutting the Town of Cortlandt’s Arlo Lane property, a total of $2.4 million to remediate and restore their property following GRIFFIN’s and DYCKMAN’s criminal conduct.Bid-Rigging SchemeBetween 2015 and 2018, Griffin also engaged in a bid-rigging scheme. GRIFFIN defrauded the village of Croton-on-Hudson for work on its schools, and the hamlet of Verplanck for work at its fire department. GRIFFIN made sham, non-competitive, and inflated bids on behalf of entities that GRIFFIN did not work for or have authorization to submit bids on behalf of, so that GRIFFIN would be the low bidder in a pool of purportedly competitive bids and receive public money for work on the projects. Based on these sham, non-competitive, and inflated bids, GRIFFIN was awarded contracts with a combined value exceeding $133,000.* * *In addition to the prison term, GRIFFIN, 56, of Cortlandt, New York was sentenced to three years of supervised release and a $50,000 fine. He was also ordered to forfeit $220,000 and pay $2.4 million in restitution, with $1.2 million due to the Town of Cortlandt and $1.2 million due to the Westchester Land Trust. On August 26, 2024, GRIFFIN pled guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Victoria Reznik to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.In addition to the prison term, DYCKMAN, 53, of Verplanck, New York, was sentenced to two years of supervised release and ordered to pay $2.4 million in restitution, with $1.2 million due to the Town of Cortlandt and $1.2 million due to the Westchester Land Trust. On August 26, 2024, DYCKMAN pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Reznik to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Westchester County Police Department in this investigation. Mr. Clayton also thanked the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office and the New York City Department of Investigation for their assistance in the investigation.This case is being prosecuted by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David R. Felton and James McMahon are in charge of the prosecution. Contact Nicholas Biase, Shelby Wratchford(212) 637-2600 Updated June 11, 2025 Component USAO - New York, Southern Press Release Number: 25-142

Press Release Former Business Owner And Town Of Cortlandt Employee Sentenced To Prison For $2.4 Million Environmental Crime Scheme Wednesday, June 11, 2025 Share FacebookLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. XLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. LinkedInLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. Email For Immediate Release U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of New York Jay Clayton, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that GLENN GRIFFIN, the owner and president of Griffin’s Landscaping Corporation, was sentenced to two years in prison for a scheme in which GRIFFIN bribed a Town of Cortlandt employee to gain unauthorized access to a Town facility to dump loads of unauthorized materials. GRIFFIN was also sentenced for a separate bid-rigging scheme. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Vincent L. Briccetti.On May 20, 2025, ROBERT DYCKMAN, the former Assistant General Foreman for the Town of Cortlandt, was sentenced by Judge Briccetti to a year and a day in prison for his participation in the bribery and dumping scheme. As part of their sentences, GRIFFIN and DYCKMAN were each ordered to pay $2.4 million in restitution to their victims.“Glenn Griffin and Robert Dyckman’s corruption not only damaged public land and fragile wetlands but also undermined the public’s faith in our government and institutions” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Griffin, a successful business owner and president, bribed Dyckman so that he could save money and, in the process, illegally dump harmful, unauthorized materials on public property generating $2.4 million in damages. Moreover, Griffin then took government money to remove and haul away the very materials that he had illegally dumped. Together with our law enforcement partners, we are committed to rooting out such brazen and wasteful corruption.” According to statements made in public filings and court proceedings:Illegal Dumping SchemeFrom 2018 until February 2020, GRIFFIN and DYCKMAN engaged in an unauthorized dumping scheme. DYCKMAN gave GRIFFIN and his employees unauthorized access to Arlo Lane, a Cortlandt facility, to dump hundreds of large truckloads of unauthorized materials such as thick concrete, cement with rebar, tiles, bricks, large rocks, and soil. After the illegal dumping, GRIFFIN billed and received payments from the Town of Cortlandt for removing and hauling away the very materials that GRIFFIN had illegally dumped at Arlo Lane with DYCKMAN’s assistance.DYCKMAN generally allowed GRIFFIN and his employees to access Arlo Lane on Saturdays or after working hours. To carry out the scheme, DYCKMAN would attempt to clear senior Town of Cortlandt management away from Arlo Lane around the time of the unauthorized dumping. When DYCKMAN arranged for a subordinate Town of Cortlandt worker to work overtime when GRIFFIN was dumping unauthorized loads, DYCKMAN would falsely record the worker’s overtime as having occurred during the week in order to conceal the scheme.In exchange for access to Arlo Lane, GRIFFIN paid DYCKMAN cash bribes.GRIFFIN and DYCKMAN were ordered to pay the Town of Cortlandt and the Westchester Land Trust, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization which owns damaged wetlands abutting the Town of Cortlandt’s Arlo Lane property, a total of $2.4 million to remediate and restore their property following GRIFFIN’s and DYCKMAN’s criminal conduct.Bid-Rigging SchemeBetween 2015 and 2018, Griffin also engaged in a bid-rigging scheme. GRIFFIN defrauded the village of Croton-on-Hudson for work on its schools, and the hamlet of Verplanck for work at its fire department. GRIFFIN made sham, non-competitive, and inflated bids on behalf of entities that GRIFFIN did not work for or have authorization to submit bids on behalf of, so that GRIFFIN would be the low bidder in a pool of purportedly competitive bids and receive public money for work on the projects. Based on these sham, non-competitive, and inflated bids, GRIFFIN was awarded contracts with a combined value exceeding $133,000.* * *In addition to the prison term, GRIFFIN, 56, of Cortlandt, New York was sentenced to three years of supervised release and a $50,000 fine. He was also ordered to forfeit $220,000 and pay $2.4 million in restitution, with $1.2 million due to the Town of Cortlandt and $1.2 million due to the Westchester Land Trust. On August 26, 2024, GRIFFIN pled guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Victoria Reznik to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.In addition to the prison term, DYCKMAN, 53, of Verplanck, New York, was sentenced to two years of supervised release and ordered to pay $2.4 million in restitution, with $1.2 million due to the Town of Cortlandt and $1.2 million due to the Westchester Land Trust. On August 26, 2024, DYCKMAN pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Reznik to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Westchester County Police Department in this investigation. Mr. Clayton also thanked the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office and the New York City Department of Investigation for their assistance in the investigation.This case is being prosecuted by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David R. Felton and James McMahon are in charge of the prosecution. Contact Nicholas Biase, Shelby Wratchford(212) 637-2600 Updated June 11, 2025 Component USAO - New York, Southern Press Release Number: 25-142