A Las Vegas-area apartment manager has pled guilty to asbestos-related violations that put both workers and residents at risk of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Bobby Babak Khalili knowingly hired untrained laborers to tear out contaminated materials in two different apartment complexes without taking any of the required safety precautions.
Mesothelioma Concerns Arise After Apartment Manager’s Asbestos Violations
Mr. Khalili admitted to crimes that put both workers and members of the community at risk for malignant mesothelioma, asbestosis, and other asbestos-related diseases. Despite being aware of asbestos-containing materials in two buildings that he managed, he hired untrained individuals to do demolition work without following Clean Air Act regulations for handling asbestos.
The Clean Air Act mitigates the risk of mesothelioma by requiring that asbestos-contaminated materials be wetted down in order to minimize dust. There are also specific rules for how the carcinogenic materials should be contained in order to prevent fibers from being released into the air. In addition to skipping essential precautions, Khalili also attempted to evade law enforcement by removing a dumpster filled with asbestos waste when inspectors arrived, and instructing a contractor to lie to those inspectors about who oversaw the project.
Prosecutor Points to Link Between Asbestos and Mesothelioma
Explaining the link between Khalili’s crime and the risk of mesothelioma, Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada said, “Exposure to asbestos is associated with life-threatening illnesses and serious respiratory diseases. By failing to follow required standards for properly handling asbestos, the defendant put the health of our communities – including workers at two apartment renovation sites – at risk.”
The penalties that Khalili faces for having put workers and residents at risk of mesothelioma include up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count, as well as up to three years of supervised release.
If you or someone you love has been exposed to asbestos as a result of negligence or purposeful wrongdoing, the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net can help. Call us today at 1-800-692-8608.
