(NationRise.com) – The US Justice Department announced that former Navy Admiral Robert Burke was arrested on May 31 and is facing up to 30 years behind bars because of a U.S. government contract bribery scheme. The 62-year-old former vice chief of naval operations was arrested with two business executives. The Department of Justice explained that he allegedly committed the crime while he was still active in the US Navy.
The indictment has detailed that Burke’s alleged participation in the criminal scheme took place from 2020 to 2022, coinciding with his tenure as the commander of the US Naval Forces Africa-Europe. This period, which started and ended in the same years he was allegedly involved in the scheme, forms a crucial part of the case against him.
The legal document has revealed that the crimes also involved New York businessmen Meghan Messenger and Yongchul Kim, also known as Charlie. The indictment has identified both of them as the CEOs of an enterprise that the Justice Department has referred to as “Company A.” Their alleged role in the conspiracy is a key aspect of the case.
The Justice Department said that crimes started when the so-called “Company A” began to provide a training pilot course to a “small” faction of the US Navy from 2018 to 2019. The department detailed that the Navy officially ended the contract and even directed Kim and Messenger’s enterprise to stop all contact with Burke.
However, the two businessmen met with Burke two years later with the goal of reestablishing ties with the Navy. The Justice Department said that the three men agreed in the meeting that Burke would take advantage of his position to gain more contracts for the company.
In a statement, the former navy admiral’s lawyer, Timothy Parlatore, said that there wasn’t any “quid pro quo” and that his client would “vigorously” contest each of the charges. Parlatore added that authorities committed a mistake as the timeline of the alleged crimes is “totally inaccurate.” He also claimed that Burke wants the trial to start as soon as possible as he’s confident he will be able to clarify the situation and be eventually “found not guilty.”
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