CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Federal prosecutors have accused 10 people of participating in a kickback scheme at an Arch Coal mine in West Virginia.
U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin said Friday that companies were forced to pay kickbacks to Arch employees to do business with the coal company at its Mountain Laurel mining complex in Logan County.
Goodwin says Arch employees are accused of taking nearly $2 million in kickbacks from 2007 to 2012.
The charges link the scheme to former Mountain Laurel general manager David Runyon, who is charged with extortion.
Other Arch employees and vendors face various charges, including lying to law enforcement, filing a false tax return, mail fraud and structuring cash withdrawals.
Last month, Arch said it asked Goodwin's office to help investigate potential misconduct involving vendors and mine personnel in West Virginia.
Goodwin says the investigation is ongoing.
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