We doubt seriously that the Anthony Allega Cement folks will loose a whole lot of sleep of their settlement with the government.  After all, they continue to do massive amounts of highway constructions projects throughout Ohio.

If you don’t know by know, let us clue you in.

Uncle Sam does not play.

Earlier this week, the U.S. Justice Department got deep into the pockets of Anthony Allega Cement Contractor, Inc. to the tune of half a million dollars.

The company has agreed to pay this princely sum to settle a complaint that it improperly claimed credit for minority contractors on the $130 million runway expansion atClevelandHopkinsAirportbetween 2001 and 2006.

Companies fronted by Blacks to satisfy Minority Business Enterprise requirements for White-owned contractors are nothing new.

Allega took it to another dimension.

In 2007, a City ofClevelandinvestigation alleged that Allega used front companies to skirt city regulations that require that work to be subcontracted to companies owned by minorities and women.

Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson was right to ban Allega from any further city work.  But the damage had already been done.

Allega pocketed millions of bucks on the airport project and legitimate Black companies that could have used the work were left out in the cold.

We doubt seriously that the Anthony Allega Cement folks will loose a whole lot of sleep of their settlement with the government.  After all, they continue to do massive amounts of highway constructions projects throughoutOhio.

What we don’t doubt, however, is that the next time that an MBE requirement is called for, Allega won’t be so cavalier in trying to scam the system.

The only consolation out of this whole debacle is that they can’t work in Clevelandanymore.