Ex-Atlanta Official Sentenced to Prison for Contractor Bribes

Abstract

Jo Ann Macrina, who served as commissioner of the Atlanta Dept. Paul Kish, an attorney representing Macrina, said via email that they "Are horribly disappointed" with the sentence, and that she even faced criminal charges. Kish says Macrina was a whistleblower who helped the Dept. Of Justice uncover fraud in the Atlanta city government. "We firmly believe she did not receive a fair trial."Prosecutors say Lohrasb "Jeff" Jafari, who was then executive vice president of Atlanta-based design, engineering and construction management firm PRAD Group Inc., provided Macrina with bribes including $10,000 in cash, a diamond ring, a Dubai hotel room and landscaping work at her home. As ENR previously reported, prosecutors say Macrina fixed RFP processes to award contracts to PRAD in exchange for the bribes. State business records show PRAD Group dissolved in 2020.