The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) indicted former Navy Admiral Robert Burke for conspiracy to commit bribery and bribery for his role in an alleged quid-pro-quo scheme, the department announced Friday.
Burke allegedly steered a Navy contract for training soldiers to the business of his two co-defendants in exchange for a future position at their company, the indictment alleges.
The Navy had a contract with Burke’s co-defendants, Yongchul “Charlie” Kim and Meghan Messenger, to conduct a workforce training pilot program to some of their soldiers between 2018 and 2019. The Navy, however terminated that contract in late 2019 and ordered the co-defendants not to contact Burke, according to the indictment.
The company which the DOJ says Kim and Messenger were Co-CEOs of is New York City’s NextJump, according to journalist Chris Cavas.
Frmr US Navy Vice Chief of Naval Operations ADM Robert Burke has been arrested & charged with bribery, US DoJ announced 31 May. Submariner Burke retired in 2022, apprently tried to steer contracts beginning ’19 to @nextjump, where 2 top execs also arrested https://t.co/uS0jrZxEnU pic.twitter.com/p85MthJpPn
— Chris Cavas (@CavasShips) May 31, 2024
Despite the order not to contact Burke, the defendants met with Burke in 2021 where the sides agreed Burke would use his high ranking position in the Navy to steer the contract back to the NextJump in exchange for a future high-paying job, the indictment alleges. (RELATED: Authorities Charge Four People In Incident Connected To Death Of Two Navy SEALs)
Burke then allegedly ordered his staff to award an approximately $355,000 contact to the company, according to the indictment. He also lied to the Navy “creating the false appearance that Burke played no role in issuing the contract and falsely implying that Company A’s employment discussions with Burke only began months after the contract was awarded,” the DOJ alleges in a Friday announcement.
“Admiral Burke used his public office and his four-star status for his private gain,” U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves said in the announcement
Burke began working for NextJump in Oct. 2022 for a $500,000 salary and also received substantial stock options, the DOJ alleges in the announcement.
“Burke not only cheated U.S. taxpayers but also did a disservice to military personnel under his command,” FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott added in the U.S. Attorney’s announcement.
Burke was a four-star admiral in the Navy and oversaw Naval operations in Europe, Russia and large swaths of Africa. He commanded thousands of civilian and military personnel, the announcement reads.
Burke, who “is also charged with performing acts affecting a personal financial interest and concealing material facts from the United States,” could face up to 30 years in prison if convicted, according to the DOJ.
