The US Attorney’s Office (USAO) has warned an ex-military procurement officer accused of making more than $1m through fraudulent contracts that they may confiscate a BMW he is alleged to have bought to launder proceeds.
Calvin Jordan, a procurement agent assigned to the Operations and Maintenance Division, Directorate of Public Works (DPW), at Fort Bragg military base, is accused of receiving bribes and money laundering.
Two other men, Edward Crisco, and Stephen Sabato, DPW flooring and roofing technicians respectively, were also charged with bribery offences.
Jordan is said to have worked at the North Carolina base, the US military’s largest, between 2011 and 2019.
He is accused of making just over $1m from suppliers in return for increasing the amount of federal contracts with those companies and individuals.
The USAO for the Eastern District of North Carolina accused Sabato and Crisco of making $200,000 and $50,000 respectively by the same means.
The USAO said Jordan received thousands of payments of at least $200 each and laundered some of that money by making cash deposits and withdrawing it to make large purchases including a BMW.
He faces up to 30 years in jail, a $250,000 fine and “substantial forfeiture of the proceeds of these crimes”.
Sabato and Crisco face two counts of receiving bribes and gratuities for steering contracts to vendors and for recommending particular contractors for jobs.
The USAO also accused them of certifying contractors’ work in inspections regardless of workmanship on those jobs.
They could face up to 15 years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
Acting US attorney Norman Acker said: “Any allegations of bribery by a government employee are disheartening.
“In this case, it is alleged these men, tasked with maintaining and contracting to maintain the very spaces in which the members of our military live and work, put their own monetary gain above that task.”
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