Trenton, NJ, September 12, 2025 – This week, a Federal Adversary Proceeding, with exhibits and proofs, was filed against two attorneys and four insurance companies for violating Federal automatic stays to not interfere with the recovery of stolen assets, contract interference, and other counts, on the behalf of Environmental Remediation and Financial Service LLC (ERFS).  Today’s Federal action is in addition to a previous filing against three environmental companies with common ownership, three former ERFS employees, and two attorneys.  The complaints go into detail as to how illegal activities were used to prolong or prevent the cleanup of New Jersey environmental sites, creating increased and unnecessary costs for the projects, as well as diverting revenue before it could reach ERFS.

From 1998 to 2023, ERFS was an industry leader in developing innovative equipment, chemistry, and procedures to clean contaminated soil and groundwater beneath existing structures.   In May 2022, ERFS filed a 90-day Subchapter V (“Sub V”) bankruptcy petition to get Federal assistance to recover over $2,000,000 of unpaid receivables thought to have been interrupted by the Covid-19 Pandemic.  Attorneys quickly determined that those receivables as well as other assets were stolen, diverted, or halted through various contract interferences.  The actions, filed by the US Department of Justice appointed Trustee, are available at:

https://pdfhost.io/v/EvXSMrwZjH_US_for_ERFS_v_Werbel_Grochala_et_al_Sept_9_2025

https://pdfhost.io/v/GxhMVQ56LY_US_for_ERFS_vs__Grodzki_Chapman_filed_Jan_9_2025

Mark Vigneri, who was the CEO of ERFS for its entire 25 years of operations, led the former ERFS Executive Management team, including the assigned U.S. Trustee and Special Counsel for the ERFS cases, in three years of investigation.   Former ERFS executives and licensed professionals Ron Adams, Patrick Boska, Peter Kuyk, and David Spader worked continuously throughout that period to accumulate the evidence in the cases. 

Mr. Vigneri decided to cease the operations of ERFS in January 2023 to give Federal authorities and agencies the ability to conduct investigations and administer the Estate of ERFS in Federal Court. ERFS had successfully completed hundreds of residential, industrial, and Superfund environmental site clean-ups in NJ, across the U.S, and internationally.  The closing of ERFS’ operations cost New Jersey a key employer that generated many additional economic gains for numerous New Jersey businesses, insurance companies, policy holders, and developers.  For over a decade, ERFS generously provided no interest financing for the depleted New Jersey Petroleum Underground Storage Tank Fund administered by NJDEP and NJ EDA.  ERFS allowed payment from the State of New Jersey to ERFS to be delayed by one-to-three-years, allowing homeowners with partial insurance coverage to get their properties restored from heating oil spills years before any grant money would be available. This ERFS program is no longer available due to the company closing.  Additionally, at the time of closing, ERFS was building and testing new methods to treat environmentally dangerous “Forever Chemicals” - a tremendous loss for the entire public interest.

A bankruptcy petition generates a very strict Federal Stay.  No one can attempt to collect monies or file a lawsuit against the company, its assets, or damages claims.  Exceptions would require pre-approval by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court.  No exceptions exist pertaining to ERFS with protections also for ERFS executives.  Any other legal action would violate the Federal Stay with heavy penalties; and having an active claim in the US Bankruptcy Court and a duplicate outside legal action is even worse.

The former executive management of ERFS is urging the public, if you have not already done so, to come forward and report if anyone ever approached you to reassign an ERFS contract or payment; provided you an email, letter, phone call, or other communication to not work with ERFS; or if you were threatened that you would not receive services or insurance policy support unless you followed their set of instructions.  If you have encountered any of the above circumstances, or any other defamation, please contact the Special Counsel listed on the Federal Adversary Proceedings listed on the link.

We thank all of you very much for the support we have already received.