By Tiffany Williams –
BOSTON — Federal prosecutors say the longtime boss overseeing Boston Public Schools’ massive bus fleet was raking in bribes for more than a decade — and now he and a vendor are facing a stack of charges after an alleged kickback scheme that siphoned taxpayer-funded money into cash, checks, building materials and even a used pickup truck.
Michael Muller, 59, of Millbury, and John Colantuoni, 60, of Westwood, were hauled into court Wednesday after being hit with a 21-count indictment. Muller is charged with five counts of soliciting and accepting bribes as an agent of BPS, five counts of conspiring to commit bribery, five counts of conspiring to commit honest services mail fraud and four counts of extortion. Colantuoni is charged with one count of paying bribes to Muller as an agent of BPS, one count of conspiring to commit bribery, one count of conspiring to commit honest services mail fraud and one count of obstruction of justice.
Muller is scheduled to make his first appearance in federal court in Boston at 2:30 p.m. Colantuoni was arrested in Florida and is expected to appear in federal court in Tampa before being brought to Boston at a later date.
According to court documents, Muller worked for the “Transportation Company,” which held a contract with BPS to run and maintain the city’s fleet of more than 700 school buses. The buses were kept in city-owned yards, and Muller allegedly supervised all Transportation Company employees working there. His job, according to the BPS contract, was to “ensure that BPS’s fleet is safe, well-maintained and ready for service on a daily basis.”
The Transportation Company hired outside vendors for cleaning, repairs and plowing. Muller allegedly controlled them all — and had the power to fire them. Vendors submitted invoices to the Transportation Company, which forwarded them to BPS for payment, with taxpayer-funded checks eventually sent back to the vendors.
Between 2010 and December 2021, Muller allegedly turned that system into a personal payday, soliciting and accepting more than $870,000 in bribes and kickbacks from five vendors, including Colantuoni. Prosecutors say the haul included cash, checks, a used pickup truck worth $15,000 and $85,000 in building materials for Muller’s vacation house. Muller also allegedly forced one vendor to hire his adult child.
Prosecutors say Muller conspired with “Vendor Two,” whose company power-washed buses and engines, to inflate invoices by claiming more engines were washed than actually were. Vendor Two was allegedly told to hand over part of its total revenues from the Transportation Company. As soon as the company mailed Vendor Two a check, Muller allegedly pounced.
Muller and Vendor Two exchanged the following texts from 2016-2018:
Muller: “Did the eagle land?”
Vendor Two: “Not there yesterday. Will see on Monday.”
Vendor Two: “Check did not clear. You got $2,500 last week. $5,000 this week. $500 more next week. $8,000 total….”
Muller: “Just add to engine u owe for February.”
Muller: “What time we meeting and were [sic]? We can meet on pike at rest stop if that works. Also are u giving my whole half or half of what you have? I have today off and want to do some shopping so sooner would be great.”
Vendor Two: “Bank opens @9 am. Rest area @ Natick.”
Prosecutors say Muller also conspired with “Vendor Three,” allegedly arranging for $189,444 in invoices for work that was never done — clearing snow off the roofs of school buses — and then pocketing most of the money.
Then there was “Vendor Four,” who allegedly paid Muller a 5% kickback in checks made out to a landscaping company Muller owned. Prosecutors say the company issued fake invoices for work it didn’t perform.
Colantuoni — president and half-owner of a small construction and landscaping company in Norwood — allegedly helped bankroll Muller’s vacation home in Pascoag, R.I., by purchasing about $85,000 in materials from a lumber company. At the same time, revenues from the Transportation Company to Colantuoni’s business reportedly spiked. Investigators say Muller tried to hide their relationship by claiming Colantuoni was his uncle, while Colantuoni allegedly tried to keep Muller’s address off invoices and even asked for a fake Falmouth address to be used.
The indictment also alleges Colantuoni lied to the grand jury about the materials purchased for Muller.
The charges carry serious time: up to 10 years for bribery and bribery conspiracy, up to 20 years for honest services mail fraud and extortion, and up to 10 years for obstruction of justice. Each count also carries potential supervised release and fines up to $250,000.
Sentences will ultimately be determined by a federal judge under U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.