Felony Charges Announced After 2022 Flint River Oil Spill in Michigan

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson announced today in Flint the charging of Rajinder Minhas, who served as the president and director of Lockhart Chemical Company, with multiple felonies and misdemeanors in relation to the June 2022 Flint River oil spill

Minhas, 60, faces one count each of
- Falsely Altering a Public Record, a 14-year felony
- Uttering and Publishing a False or Altered Public Record, a 14-year felony
- Substantial Endangerment to Public, a 5-year felony
- Discharge of Injurious Substance to Waters of the State, a 2-year felony
- False Statements and Omissions regarding Air Pollution Control, a 1-year misdemeanor
- General Violations of Air Pollution Control law, punishable by a fine of up to $10,000 for each day violations occur
He has also been charged with 11 misdemeanor offenses for violating hazardous waste statues, permits, or rules, as well as 9 misdemeanor violations of the State’s Liquid Industrial Waste law

The charges stem from an unauthorized oil discharge in June 2022, in which the AG says around 15,000 gallons of an oil-chemical mixture were released from Lockhart Chemical’s facility into the Flint River. Lockhart Chemical Company has since filed for bankruptcy, and officials from the State of Michigan and the United States Environmental Protection Agency have been involved in the bankruptcy to ensure safe management of the facility without further unauthorized discharges

Minhas was arrested and arraigned, and will next appear in the 67th Judicial District Court on January 2nd, 2025