ROANOKE, Va. (AP) — Virginia State Police have opened a criminal investigation into a Chinese company's failed Appomattox factory project that received $1.4 million in taxpayer funds.
An investigation by The Roanoke Times discovered lax vetting of Lindenburg Industry LLC, which secured money from the Governor's Opportunity Fund to manufacture industrial clean-air products in Appomattox.
State Police Spokeswoman Corrinne Geller tells the newspaper (bit.ly/1pKaTqI) that it has expanded an initial inquiry into the company to a criminal investigation. She said the probe has been assigned to a case agent in the Appomattox office.
The state has sought to get the money back, but the company missed the deadline earlier this month to repay a seven-figure grant from the state.
