WATER SCNDAL Contractor gets prison term in bribery scheme

Arnold Kaufman has cooperated with authorities.
CLEVELAND (AP) -- A contractor has been sentenced to 21 months in prison for his part in a bribery scandal in the Cleveland Division of Water.
Arnold Kaufman, who was sentenced Monday, admitted in June to paying more than $180,000 in bribes to two water department employees in exchange for doing business with the agency.
His company, Woodhill Supply Inc., gave city employee Norman Gore lawn service and gardening products and 58 home appliances so that Gore and other water employees would give contracts to Woodhill, authorities said.
Gore paid the company thousands of dollars for work that was never done in most instances, prosecutors say, and some money was kicked back to him. Gore pleaded guilty to corruption charges and will be sentenced Dec. 8.
"I'm truly sorry for what I've done," Kaufman told U.S. District Judge Patricia Gaughan. "I'll never do anything that puts me before this court again."
Gaughan ordered Kaufman to pay $180,700 that he owes the city. He must also pay a $5,000 fine and forfeit $90,000.
Kaufman, 54, of Shaker Heights, pleaded guilty to conspiracy. He could have faced at least three years or more in prison. Prosecutors said he cooperated with them in other cases.
Kaufman joins six others, including three city employees, convicted as a result of an investigation into the water division.