Two men were indicted on Tuesday for their alleged involvement in a more than $2 million scheme to enrich themselves from construction contracts in the Lawrence School District, according to Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly.
Scott Unger, 65, the former director of facilities for the Lawrence School District from Long Beach, and Joseph Greenblatt, 59, Unger’s alleged co-conspirator from Island Park, allegedly incorporated a construction company and used Unger’s influence in the school to steer emergency HVAC and other lucrative contracts to it, Donnelly said.
She said the two allegedly carried out the scheme between April 2023 and May 2024, during which they shared profits from the company.
Donnelly’s office said the two were indicted on June 4 on charges of corrupting the government and conspiracy.
Both were also indicted on charges of official misconduct, though Unger was charged with six counts of the offense and Greenblatt was charged with one. Unger was also charged with violating General Municipal Law Section 803(1), Disclosure of Interest.
“Scott Unger decided he wanted a bigger payday from his new position directing facility operations at the Lawrence School District and allegedly, with the help of his co-conspirator Joseph Greenblatt, twisted the district’s contracting process to fit his needs and line both of their pockets,” Donnelly said.
Donnelly’s office said Unger and Greenblatt allegedly created and operated a corporation, SDF Service Plus, Inc., to obtain public works contracts from the Lawrence School District. She said they disguised Unger’s financial interest in SDF, which would have prohibited the company from contracting with the school district.
Over the course of a little over a year, their conduct allegedly resulted in the Lawrence School District awarding contracts to SDF for various services over $2 million and payments to Unger specifically in excess of $184,000.
“Unger and Greenblatt used lies and manipulation to remove the competition and position themselves to take over school district contracts, according to the charges,” Donnelly continued. “The pair set up their own businesses, with Unger acting as the shadow operator, and using Unger’s authority, allegedly secured lucrative contracts worth more than $2 million, despite never having worked on another HVAC project and having no experience in that space.”
When Unger began work at the Lawrence School District in 2022, the district was working with Hi Tech Air Conditioning Service, Inc., which held contracts at several district buildings for HVAC installation and service projects, the district attorney’s office said.
Shortly after he assumed oversight of the project, Unger allegedly caused the district to withhold payment and ignored repeated attempts by Hi Tech to seek payment for work it had already performed, resulting in the company refusing to work for the district in 2023, the district attorney’s office said.
In May of that year, Unger allegedly manipulated the district’s board of education and bidding process, ensuring that SDF would be selected to carry out emergency contract work, Donnelly’s office said.
“Before being awarded the emergency contract, SDF had performed no work for any other customer and did not perform any work after its contract with the district. The company had no liability or workers’ compensation insurance,” the district attorney’s office wrote in a statement. “For the LUFSD project, SDF hired employees who had previously worked on the same project for Hi Tech.”
The DA said their investigation showed that Unger allegedly used his position in the school district to expedite payments to SDF, requested checks be given to him directly and conducted business operations for SDF, including allegedly creating the company’s email address, drafting business records, and managing its payroll.
Between July 28, 2023, and December 29, 2023, Donnelly’s office said Greenblatt wrote five checks to Scott Mitchell Management, Inc., a shell company incorporated and controlled by Unger, for sums ranging from $22,320 to $77,945. These payments represented approximately 18% of the school district’s payments to SDF.
On December 29, 2023, SDF allegedly issued a check to that shell company for $77,945, the district attorney’s office said. Eight days after the funds were deposited into the SMM account, Unger allegedly purchased a 2024 Kia Telluride with an SMM check for $61,123 and registered the vehicle in his name, which the NCDA’s office said it has since seized. Unger also allegedly withdrew large sums of cash from SDF’s bank account with Greenblatt’s approval, which has since been frozen by NCDA alongside other accounts held by the two, Donnelly’s office said.
Donnelly said Unger was suspended from the Lawrence School District pending investigation in May 2024 and submitted his resignation in November 2024. The district terminated SDF in July 2024. The two surrendered to NCDA Detective Investigators on June 4, 2025.
The pair pleaded not guilty and were released on their own recognizance. If convicted, they face up to 8 and one-third to 25 years in prison, respectively. They are due back in court on July 28.
