Former AstraZeneca PLC Employee Arrested for Bilking Drugmaker
A former AstraZeneca employee and a construction company foreman have been charged with scamming the pharmaceutical giant out of more than $400,000 by billing it for improvements to the employee’s home. Attorney General Beau Biden on Tuesday announced the arrest of Mitchell E. Guard, 45, and David Ragolia, 55. Guard was an AstraZeneca project engineer at its headquarters in Fairfax, while Ragolia was a foreman for DiSabatino Construction Co. and site manager of all of its work at the AstraZeneca site. Each is charged with felony theft of more than $100,000 by fraud and felony conspiracy, punishable by up to 17 years in prison. The state also seeks full restitution. “Stealing is a crime with damaging consequences, whether the victim is an individual or a company,” Biden said. The suspects allegedly bilked AstraZeneca for the addition of a sunroom, kitchen renovations, demolition of a two-car garage, construction of a three-car garage, basement refinishing, new exterior siding and windows, bathroom fixtures and a new heating, ventilation and air conditioning unit. Guard no longer works for AstraZeneca, spokesman Tony Jewell said Tuesday, declining to give more details of the employee’s work history.