Suburban contractor accused of fraud

Federal prosecutors have accused a suburban contractor of fraud, alleging she helped other firms meet set-aside requirements and thereby land major government-funded construction contracts.

The U.S. attorney’s office alleges the owner of Perdel Contracting Co. and Accurate Steel Installers, Elizabeth Perino, signed up as a “sham” woman subcontractor for the projects but didn’t do any work.

Set-aside rules are designed to benefit woman- and minority-owned companies

The 57-year-old Willowbrook woman is charged with mail fraud. If convicted, she faces a maximum 20-year prison sentence.

The complaint doesn’t name the firms that benefited and doesn’t accuse them of wrongdoing. One was described as “a construction firm with billions of dollars’ worth of government and private contracts.”

A message left at a residential number for Perino wasn’t returned Tuesday evening.