CHICAGO – A Chicago-area contractor has been charged with allegedly running a kickback scheme that defrauded several suburban municipalities of more than $400,000 for public works projects.

A statement from the Illinois Attorney General’s Office says Alan Harris was charged Thursday in Cook County Circuit Court with theft of government property and mail fraud.

The 46-year-old Niles man is accused of illegally obtaining construction contracts in 2010 and 2011. And the attorney general’s office alleges he forced employees to kick back money from their monthly paychecks.