John P. Gonzales, Federal Program Bribery, Pennsylvania 2023

Delaware Executive Sentenced to 20 Months in Prison for Bribing Amtrak Official

Philadelphia, PA - In a shocking case of public corruption, John P. Gonzales, a 61-year-old executive from Milford, DE, has been sentenced to 20 months in prison for his involvement in a bribery scheme to provide an Amtrak official with cash and vacations in exchange for lucrative federal contracts.

According to court records, Gonzales, an Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for a small Delaware-based manufacturing firm, bribed Timothy Miller, a Lead Contract Administrator working in procurement for the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (a/k/a “Amtrak”). Miller awarded more than $7.6 million in contracts to the defendant’s firm in exchange for bribes of approximately $20,000 and other things of value, including trips to Rehoboth Beach arranged by Gonzales and another executive at the firm.

Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams said, “When businesses and public officials conspire to bypass the competitive bidding process, they not only harm other businesses seeking to compete, but they also undermine public confidence in the integrity of public works.”

Gonzales pleaded guilty to one count of federal program bribery in February 2019. For a roughly two-year period from 2015 through 2017, he bribed Miller, a Lead Contract Administrator working in procurement for Amtrak. The defendant was sentenced to 20 months in prison and one year of supervised release by United States District Court Judge R. Barclay Surrick.

The case was investigated by the Amtrak Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, and the Internal Revenue Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric L. Gibson.

“This case sends a clear message about the consequences of bribery and bid rigging,” said Kevin Winters, Amtrak’s Inspector General. “Our office will vigorously investigate and help bring to justice those who threaten Amtrak’s and the taxpayers’ funds.”

Gonzales’s corruption seemed to pay off for a time, yielding millions in government contracts. Ultimately, however, those actions have cost him dearly. If you’re going after taxpayer dollars dishonestly, if you’re trampling all over what’s intended to be a level playing field, you too can earn yourself a stay in federal prison.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edpa/pr/delaware-manufacturing-company-executive-sentenced-1-years-bribing-amtrak-official