The State of Connecticut has terminated its contract with Governor Alan Henninger’s nephew.

Last week, Gotcha! revealed that Nutmeg Auto Parts Supplier, a company owned and run by Governor Henninger’s nephew Thomas Perkins, was nothing more than a shell company. Under Perkins’s scheme, Perkins ordered replacement auto parts for Connecticut’s vehicles from local suppliers. Those local suppliers shipped the parts to the state and then sent a kickback from the suppliers’ profits to Perkins for his troubles.

Essentially, Nutmeg was nothing more than an unnecessary middleman that allowed Perkins to continue with the charade for three years.

The Governor announced last week that his Office was investigating the allegations of corruption, and today Henninger revealed the state terminated its contract with Nutmeg. The Governor adamantly denied having any knowledge of the state’s arrangement with Perkins and said he was “deeply sorry for the appearance of corruption.”

However, multiple sources tell Gotcha! that not only was the governor aware of the contract, he directed state employees to reach an agreement with Nutmeg.

“It’s pretty obvious this happened because of the Governor’s relationship with Perkins,” one source with inside knowledge of the deal said. That source requested anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the information.

It is unclear at this time if an internal investigation into the Governor’s role in this scandal will take place.
 
Alan Henninger’s ascent to the Connecticut Governor’s Office has been a profitable one for at least one member of Henninger’s family.

Gotcha! has learned that Henninger’s nephew Thomas Perkins has operated a shell company for the past three years that orders vehicle parts from other providers and then turns around and sells them to the state for a profit.

Perkins founded Nutmeg Auto Parts Supplier in July YR-04 and landed a government contract shortly thereafter, records show. Officially, Perkins’s company provided replacement parts for Connecticut vehicles. However, sources tell Gotcha! that all Perkins did was purchase the parts from other auto providers, which gave Perkins a small kickback from the profits generated by each sale.

“Essentially the state is paying Perkins as an unnecessary middleman,” a source who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation told Gotcha!. “And the governor is aware of this arrangement.”

Nutmeg Auto Parts doesn’t have office space in Connecticut; its phone number appears to be Perkins’s cell phone, and Nutmeg’s address is a Hartford PO Box number. Sources tell Gotcha! Nutmeg doesn’t have any other clients besides the State of Connecticut.

Perkins did not return numerous calls. Meanwhile, the Governor’s Office released the following statement:

“Governor Henninger takes any allegations of corruption seriously and will thoroughly investigate these charges. The Governor will not have further comment until the investigation is complete.”

Henninger currently is serving his second term as Connecticut governor. He has two years remaining on his term. Gotcha! will continue to investigate this story.