Chief Engineer of Oil Tanker Admits Discharge of Oily Waste off Coast of New Jersey And Concealment of Pollution from Vessel

Press Release

Second Engineer Also Admits Concealment of Pollution From Vessel

NEWARK, N.J. - A chief engineer employed by a Greek shipping company today admitted charges related to the discharge of oily waste into the sea from a commercial vessel near a petroleum terminal in Sewaren, New Jersey; he and a second engineer also admitted concealment of pollution from that vessel through the falsification of records, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger and Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim announced.

Konstantinos Atsalis, 57, the chief engineer of an oil tanker, the M/T Kriti Ruby, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Esther Salas in Newark federal court to an information charging him with two counts of violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships, including falsifying the vessel's oil record book. Sonny Bosito, 54, the second engineer of the M/T Kriti Ruby, pleaded guilty to an information charging him with violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Atsalis admitted that the vessel's crew had knowingly bypassed required pollution prevention equipment by discharging oily waste from the vessel's engine room through its sewage system into the sea, including near a petroleum offloading facility in Sewaren. Atsalis also admitted that he falsified the vessel's oil record book, a required log regularly inspected by the U.S. Coast Guard, by failing to record this illegal activity. Atsalis admitted that he directed crew members to hide equipment used to conduct transfers of oily waste from the engine room bilge wells to the sewage tank before the Coast Guard boarded the vessel.

Bosito admitted concealing the discharge of oily waste into the sea through the vessel's sewage system by causing a false oil record book to be presented to the U.S. Coast Guard during its inspection of the vessel. Bosito admitted directing crew members to hide equipment used to conduct transfers from the bilge wells to the sewage tank before the Coast Guard's inspection.

The charges to which Atsalis and Bosito pleaded guilty each carry a maximum penalty of six years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss resulting from the offense, whichever is greatest. Sentencing for both defendants is scheduled for Oct. 22, 2024.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger and Assistant Attorney General Kim credited special agents of the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Steven M. Frith, with the investigation leading to the guilty pleas.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen P. O'Leary of the U.S. Attorney's Office Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Unit, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Ward of the U.S. Attorney's Office in Newark, and Trial Attorney Lauren D. Steele and Senior Trial Attorney Kenneth E. Nelson of the Environmental Crimes Section of the U.S. Department of Justice Environment and Natural Resources Division.

Updated May 7, 2024