Retired four-star admiral found guilty of bribery after accepting $500K-per-year job in exchange for lucrative Navy contract
DC US Attorney Jeanine Pirro achieved a significant legal victory on Monday as retired four-star Navy Adm. Robert Burke was found guilty of bribery charges in connection to a scheme to steer government contracts to his future employer.
Burke, who previously served as the vice chief of naval operations during a portion of President Trump’s first term, was convicted of conspiracy to commit bribery, bribery, performing acts affecting a personal financial interest, and concealing material facts from the US after a five-day trial.
As the Navy’s former second-highest-ranking officer, Burke now holds the dubious distinction of being the highest-ranking member of the US military ever convicted of a federal crime.
In a statement following the verdict, Pirro emphasized the importance of rooting out corruption at all levels of government. She stated, “When you abuse your position and betray the public trust to line your own pockets, it undermines the confidence in the government you represent. Our office, with our law enforcement partners, will root out corruption – be it bribes or illegal contracts – and hold accountable the perpetrators, no matter what title or rank they hold.”
Burke, 63, was indicted last May in a case investigated by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), and the FBI’s Washington Field Office. He was accused of accepting a $500,000 yearly salary and a grant of 100,000 stock options from his co-conspirators, Yongchul “Charlie” Kim and Meghan Messenger, in exchange for using his position as a Navy admiral to steer a government contract to an entity named “Company A.”
Kim and Messenger, who were co-CEOs of Company A, repeatedly contacted Burke between 2019 and 2022 despite being warned by the Navy not to do so. Company A had previously provided workforce training to a Navy component before their contract was terminated in late 2019.
The bribery scheme involved Burke using his influence with Navy officers to secure a lucrative contract for Company A before his retirement and subsequent employment with the company. Despite Burke awarding a $355,000 contract to Company A in December 2021, the company did not secure another contract with the Navy after Burke’s departure.
Burke is scheduled for sentencing in August, facing a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. His attorney, Timothy Parlatore, plans to appeal the verdict, citing that the jury did not hear all the evidence, including Burke’s extensive interview with law enforcement. Parlatore also criticized the investigative agencies involved, calling them “largely stocked with imbeciles” and claiming they lack training, ethics, leadership, and adult supervision.
The case serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of corruption within the military and the importance of holding public officials accountable for their actions.
