FROM THE ARCHIVE

Couple indicted for mercury scare

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2001

Authorities in Illinois on Tuesday indicted a Chicago couple for allegedly hatching a mercury contamination scheme last year.

William Fritz, 44, and Alanna Weber-Fritz, 38, have been indicted on theft and conspiracy charges for allegedly planting mercury in their home amidst a local contamination scare. They went under investigation almost as soon as they began their alleged fraud last September, said authorities.

The company who was worried about contamination, Nicor, had alerted authorities to a potential fraud after workers investigated the couple's home and found evidence the mercury had been planted.

The couple's lawyer says the pair had nothing to do with the alleged fraud.

Get the Story:
Two Accused of Staging Mercury Contamination (The New York Times 8/22)
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