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Former Navy Civilian Employee and Defense Contractor Exec Charged in $100M Bribery Scheme
A former civilian employee of the San Diego-based Naval Information Warfare Center and a former executive with a South Carolina defense contractor have been charged with participating in a bribery scheme to trade expensive meals, jobs, and a ticket to a premiere sporting event for help obtaining more than $100 million in government contracts.
James Soriano, of Las Vegas, Nevada, worked as an engineer, project leader, and certified Contracting Officer Representative for the Naval Information Warfare Center from 2006 to 2019. Soriano used his influence to steer lucrative contracts to Russell Thurston of Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, who was an executive vice president of a company vying for defense contracts with locations in Arlington, Virginia, and Charleston, South Carolina.
According to the indictment, Thurston and others working under him gave Soriano various things of value, including jobs for a family member and friends, free meals at various restaurants, as well as a ticket to the 2018 MLB All Star Game held at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. One of the friends who was given a job at Soriano’s request gave Soriano half her salary every month – approximately $2,000 per month – in cash. The indictment indicates the friend was not actually performing the duties for which she was being paid.
In return, Soriano took official action to benefit the company, including allowing Thurston and other employees to draft procurement documents for various contracting efforts, even where the company was competing for the contract against other bidders. As a result of Soriano’s efforts, the company won a task order with a more than $300 million ceiling. Soriano then approved numerous projects on this task order, ultimately causing the government to obligate more than $100 million to the company.
To conceal their activities, Thurston, Soriano, and other employees at the company would intentionally delete document properties on procurement documents drafted by employees. Soriano also failed to disclose the gifts on his yearly required OGE Form 450.
“This indictment reveals callous greed at the cost of taxpayer dollars,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “This office will vigorously investigate and prosecute fraud that threatens public trust in our institutions.”
“The indictment of James Soriano and Russell Thurston should be a deterrent for individuals and companies contemplating or attempting to misuse positions of public trust in order to enrich themselves financially or ensure future lucrative contracts,” said Bryan D. Denny, Special Agent-in-Charge for the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Western Field Office.
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Western Field Office, with assistance from the IRS Criminal Investigation division.
Key Facts
- State: California
- Category: Public Corruption|White Collar Crime|Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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