Tarrytown energy consultant Christopher Schiller is continuing with an anti-trust lawsuit against another energy-related company.
“Ramapo must shell out at least $75,000 to a Tarrytown energy procurement consultant who accused some town officials of fraud and retaliation against his business.
Christopher Schiller claimed in a federal civil rights lawsuit that Ramapo undercut his company by turning over his exclusive contract providing energy sources to another company.
Schiller’s lawsuit alleges the town policy was to attack the reputation of any person or company that challenged its improper procedures.
Attorney Pakola said that although a judgment has been entered and Ramapo defendants are no longer parties to the case, “misconduct relating to the town is still alleged against several non-town defendants, so if we proceed to trial, it is likely that multiple town officials and employees will be required to testify about their part in the alleged wrongdoing.”
The lawsuit claimed Ramapo officials, without an official Town Board vote, bypassed Schiller and went with attorney Daniel Duthie to procure energy supply services. Town officials also went through the Municipal Electric Gas Alliance for natural gas and interfered with Schiller’s business relationships with other companies, it charges.
The lawsuit further says the town hired Duthie who claimed to be assistant town attorney and worked against Schiller’s interests.
The lawsuit mentions Schiller and his company, Resolution Energy Group, provided documents to federal investigators looking into alleged corruption in Ramapo government. The federal investigation ultimately led to criminal charges against Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence and Deputy Town Attorney Aaron Troodler, who oversaw the daily operations of the Ramapo Local Development Corp. The charges, which were unrelated to the allegations in Schiller’s lawsuit, centered around funding and bonding requests for the town’s $70 million baseball stadium.”
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