WASHINGTON D.C.—A retired Navy Admiral and two New York business executives were arrested today. They are charged with involvement in a bribery scheme linked to a U.S. government contract. The charges stem from an unsealed indictment detailing allegations dating from 2020 to 2022.
Robert Burke, a former four-star Admiral residing in Coconut Creek, Florida, alongside Yongchul “Charlie” Kim and Meghan Messenger of New York, co-CEOs of Company A, allegedly conspired to manipulate Navy contracts for personal gain. Burke, who had substantial authority over Naval operations across Europe, Russia, and Africa, is accused of using his influence to direct contracts to Company A despite a prior Navy order severing ties with the company.
In July 2021, despite the Navy’s explicit directive, Kim and Messenger allegedly met with Burke in Washington, D.C., and arranged for him to steer a lucrative sole-source contract their way in exchange for a high-paying position at the company. This agreement also aimed to influence other Navy contracts, potentially worth hundreds of millions.
By December 2021, Burke purportedly facilitated a $355,000 contract for Company A to train Navy personnel in Italy and Spain, which was performed in January 2022. Despite these efforts, further attempts to secure additional contracts for Company A were unsuccessful. To hide his involvement, Burke allegedly made deceptive statements to the Navy, suggesting he had no role in the contract awards and that his employment discussions with Company A started well after the contracts were issued.
Burke began a lucrative position at Company A in October 2022, with a significant salary and stock options. The charges against Burke, Kim, and Messenger include conspiracy to commit bribery and bribery, with Burke facing additional charges related to conflicts of interest and making false statements.
The case is being investigated by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and the FBI, highlighting the collaborative effort to uncover and prosecute corruption within government contracting.
