Former Forest Preserve Contractor Pleads Not Guilty in Theft Scheme

One of three men charged in a scandal at the DuPage County Forest Preserve District pleaded not guilty Monday to 37 felony counts, the Daily Herald reported.

He was indicted earlier this month on counts including theft by deception, accepting kickbacks and official misconduct.

Mahmood, 37, of Glendale Heights, allegedly worked as a contractor with the forest preserve and worked with former forest preserve employees Mark McDonald, 53, of the 1000 block of Childs Street in Wheaton, and David Tepper, 49, of the 300 block of Franklin Avenue in River Forest, in a scheme to steal from the government agency, according to the DuPage County State's Attorney.

Authorities say the men planned to bilk the forest preserve of about $150,000. In the first plan, involving McDonald's and Tepper's company Integrated Design Solutions, the two former employees billed and received more than $90,000 from the forest preserve for equipment and services that were never delivered from July 20, 2005 to November 7, 2011, according to a press release.

In the second scheme, officials say Mahmood acted as an employee of Alamach Technology Inc., and overbilled the forest preserve for contracted work from February 25, 2010 through November 7, 2011. He then subcontracted with Integrated Design Solutions in the amount overbilled for services that were never rendered, netting McDonald and Tepper more than $64,000 in kickbacks, according to the release.

Mahmood is charged with stealing more than $10,000 from the district, court records show.

Defense attorney Tim Martin told the Herald evidence would show Mahmood is not guilty.

Tepper and McDonald were on 140 counts each of theft, accepting kickbacks and official misconduct. They are scheduled to appear in DuPage County Court Nov. 20. 

Related:

• FBI Investigates Forest Preserve Contracts
• Forest Preserve Employees Accused of Misusing Funds

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