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Non-Profit Founder Charged with Bribery
Felix Nelson Ayala, founder of Ayala and Associates Public Accountants in Washington, D.C. and Ayala and Associates Public Accountants, has been charged with bribery and making false statements in connection with a scheme to engage in bribery in order to influence a public official in the performance of his official duties in Prince George’s County.
Ayala, 52, of Rockville, Maryland, was charged with bribery and making false statements in a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt, Maryland. His initial appearance is scheduled for today at 1:45 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Sullivan.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Ayala paid bribes to former Prince George’s County Council Member Will Campos in exchange for grant funding. Specifically, the affidavit alleges that Ayala paid Campos $5,000 for each of County fiscal years 2012 through 2015, in exchange for $25,000 in grants to CSE in each of those years.
The affidavit details a series of meetings between Ayala and Campos, including a lunch meeting on August 13, 2014, during which Ayala allegedly asked Campos what would happen after he left his position on the County Council and assumed his position within the Maryland General Assembly. Ayala allegedly advised, “The arrangement is still on,” and Campos asked if Ayala had anything for him. Ayala asked Campos to give him two weeks, and “I [Ayala] call you and I’ll say let’s, let’s have a drink and you know what it’s for.” Campos asked for $5,000, “like last time,” and Ayala agreed.
On September 23, 2014, Ayala had dinner with Campos at a restaurant in Silver Spring, Maryland, and discussed the grant money. Specifically, Campos advised that he would push for Ayala to still receive grant money after Campos left office. At the conclusion of the meal, Ayala walked Campos out of the restaurant and allegedly handed Campos an envelope bearing a label for CSE and containing a cashier’s check for half the agreed upon amount.
On January 8, 2015, Ayala met with Campos at Ayala’s office in Washington, D.C. Ayala reached into his desk and retrieved an envelope. Ayala handed the envelope to Campos, who asked if it was “the rest that we talked about? $2,500?” and Ayala responded, “Yeah.” The affidavit alleges that inside the envelope, Ayala had placed $2,500 in cash.
Ayala was interviewed by federal law enforcement agents on January 5, 2017, and allegedly denied providing anything of value to Campos in exchange for receiving Prince George’s County grant money for CSE. Thereafter, agents showed Ayala still photographs from videos taken while Ayala was making bribe payments to Campos on September 23, 2014 and January 8, 2015.
If convicted, Ayala faces a maximum sentence of ten years in prison for bribery, and a maximum of five years in prison for false statements. An individual charged by criminal complaint is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later court proceeding.
Key Facts
- State: Maryland
- Category: Public Corruption
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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