The lead contractor on the East Side Access transit project agreed yesterday to pay $7.5 million to settle charges it scammed its way out of hiring quotas for women and minorities.

Court papers say Dragados/Judlau “accepts responsibility” for submitting bogus forms to the MTA between 2006 and 2008.

Under the Manhattan federal-court deal, the company will pay $6.5 million to the feds and $1 million to the MTA Inspector General’s Office.

The deal settles a suit that accused the firm of using “lies and subterfuge” to claim it employed subcontractors owned by women and minorities.