(TheProudRepublic.com) – In a case tarnishing the US Navy’s uniform, Robert Burke, a retired four-star admiral, has been arrested for his alleged involvement in a bribery case related to a government contract, as reported by the US Department of Justice (DOJ).
Alongside him, Yongchul “Charlie” Kim and Meghan Messenger, who serve as co-CEOs of an unnamed company implicated by the DOJ, were arrested for supposedly orchestrating a plan to secure a government contract in return for offering Burke an executive position within their firm, according to a DOJ press statement.
“The law does not make exceptions for admirals or CEOs. Those who pay and receive bribes must be held accountable,” stated Matthew Graves, the US attorney for the District of Columbia.
“The urgency is at its greatest when, as here, senior government officials and senior executives are allegedly involved in the corruption,” he added, as cited by Fox News.
Burke, previously the vice chief of naval operations, had held the position of the Navy’s second-highest ranking officer.
The implicated company had provided a training program for a segment of the Navy between 2018 and 2019, until their contract was discontinued.
Despite instructions from the Navy to refrain from contacting Burke, the trio met in Washington, DC, in July 2021.
During this meeting, Burke purportedly agreed to leverage his influence to secure a sole-source contract for the company and to advocate for the adoption of their broader training program by other Naval officers—a program that Kim projected could generate “triple digit millions.”
In December 2021, Burke is accused of having directed his staff to grant a $355,000 contract to the company for training Naval personnel under his command in Italy and Spain.
He also reportedly made an unsuccessful effort to persuade a senior Naval commander to award them an additional contract.
Burke allegedly claimed he played no role in the awarding of the contract, asserting that his interactions with Kim and Messenger started only after the contract had begun.
After retiring from the Navy, Burke joined the company in October 2022, receiving a compensation package that included a $500,000 salary and $100,000 in stock options.
He faces charges of conspiracy to commit bribery, bribery, performing acts affecting a personal financial interest, and concealing material facts from the United States, as per the DOJ.
If convicted, he could be sentenced to up to 30 years in prison.
Kim and Messenger have been charged with conspiracy to commit bribery and bribery, with potential sentences of up to 20 years in prison each.
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