NEW YORK, NY – On Wednesday, the Manhattan District Attorney announced the indictment of George Cole, a licensed Master Rigger, and his company, COLE NYC LLC.
They are charged with stealing approximately $169,500 of wages from workers between February 2022 and April. Cole is also accused of operating without insurance for over a year, submitting forged documentation to various New York City and State agencies.
The indictment comes after a joint investigation by the Manhattan D.A.’s Construction Fraud Task Force.
Cole’s company, one of roughly 300 Rope Access Technician businesses in NYC, carried out work on several landmarks, including the Chrysler Building and the Empire State Building.
According to court documents, Cole failed to maintain his insurance policy, engaged in a wage theft scheme, and indulged in personal luxuries while neglecting to pay his workers.