Federal and state laws surrounding the proper handling and disposal of asbestos were specifically created to protect people against mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. Companies and individuals who put profits over people — ignoring or evading these rules — do so at their own peril, as guilty verdicts come with stiff penalties. A Kansas-based developer is learning that lesson the hard way after having been found guilty of three Clean Air Act violations, as well as a separate indictment of collecting $400,000 in fraudulent tax refunds.
Renovation of Asbestos-Contaminated Country Club Risks Mesothelioma for Workers and Residents
The U.S. government indicted developer Thomas Fritzel after a roofer reported violations of the Clean Air Act that risked mesothelioma for anyone in the vicinity of a property that he was renovating. The Alvamar Country Club in Lawrence, Kansas had originally been built by Fritzel’s father. He purchased it in 2016 and began renovations, only to be alerted that the club’s roof contained asbestos.
Rather than adhering to the EPA rules that were created to minimize the risk of mesothelioma, Mr. Fritzel chose evasion and fraud. Instead of submitting to required notifications and inspections prior to renovation or demolition, he chose and submitted a sample of demolition material that he knew did not contain asbestos, suggesting that no inspection would be required.
Whistleblower’s Concern Over Mesothelioma Leads to Indictment
At the same time that Fritzel submitted his carefully selected sample and an asbestos report to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), a roofer concerned about the risk of mesothelioma reported the violation. The KDHE then investigated and found that samples from the site tested positive as white asbestos. Later testimony in Fritzel’s trial established that he had been aware of the asbestos.
Though Fritzel argued in his own defense, the risk of mesothelioma that he posed resulted in a guilty verdict, and an appeals court denied him a new trial. Though he is currently free on a $50,000 bond, it is likely that he will be sentenced to a multi-year prison sentence and hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines.
If you or someone you love has been exposed to asbestos, the fear of mesothelioma is real. For information about the resources available to you, contact the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net today at 1-800-692-8608.
