A 54-year-old Acworth man pleaded guilty Thursday in federal district court to a charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. John Costa, president of a wholly-owned subsidiary of Interface -- one of the nation's largest modular carpet manufacturers -- is accused of taking payoffs to steer business to a vendor of his former employer, according to U.S. attorney Sally Quillian Yates. Costa also directed his co-conspirator -- the owner of a carpet installation company -- to pay a salary to Costa's spouse, pay her credit card expenses and make IRA contributions in her name. As part of the plea, Costa agreed to pay Interface $298,160 in restitution.
