Sylvester Zugrav, $1.05M Bribery Scheme, FL, 2023

SALT LAKE CITY – The grimy details of a multimillion-dollar bribery scheme have been laid bare as Sylvester Zugrav and his wife Maria Zugrav, both from Sarasota, Fla., pleaded guilty in federal court for their roles in the colossal scam. According to Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer and U.S. Attorney David B. Barlow, the couple owned Atlas International Trading Company, which contracted with the U.S. government through the Foreign Materials Acquisition Support Office (FMASO) at Hill Air Force Base.

Sylvester Zugrav, 70, admitted to doling out over $180,000 in bribes to Jose Mendez, a procurement program manager for FMASO, and promising an additional $1.05 million contingent upon future contracts. In exchange, Mendez ensured favorable treatment for Atlas, including aiding in contract bids and payments.

The Zugravs’ scheme was not limited to cash; they employed wire transfers to a Mexico bank account in Mendez’s cousin’s name to conceal the bribes. Maria Zugrav, 67, is charged with misprision of a felony for her part in concealing the conspiracy.

Jose Mendez, 51, of Farr West, Utah, has pleaded guilty to all charges and agreed to forfeit over $180,000 received from the scheme. The Zugravs’ actions were uncovered after law enforcement seized a FedEx package containing $5,000 in cash, among other evidence.

During the trial, it emerged that Sylvester Zugrav made seven personal cash payments to Mendez and purchased a laptop worth over $2,900 as part of the scheme. The couple’s elaborate efforts to avoid detection included limiting cash withdrawals from their business account to no more than $5,000 to evade scrutiny.

The sentencing for the Zugravs is yet to be determined, casting a dark shadow over their once-promising military contracting company and the integrity of federal procurement contracts.

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