Mark W. McGregor, Bribery, Virginia 2023

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Mark W. McGregor, 63, of Charles Town, West Virginia, was sentenced to prison time after pleading guilty to bribery concerning federal program funds for his role in a bribery scheme that caused $380,000 in losses to the U.S. government.

According to the statement of facts filed with the plea agreement, McGregor served as the chief executive officer of Virginia Regional Transit (VRT), a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization that provides transportation services throughout Northern Virginia. VRT is funded by a combination of federal, state, and local grants, including from the U.S. Department of Transportation. McGregor engaged in a bribe scheme with co-conspirator Thomas Ahalt, then President of Mobile Auto Truck Repair (Mobile Auto), an automotive repair business in Purcellville, since 2007. Mobile Auto provided automotive repair services to VRT.

According to plea papers, from January 2007 through December 2015, Mobile Auto submitted—and McGregor caused to be approved—false invoices for additional weekly labor charges. McGregor approved and VRT paid to Mobile Auto approximately $380,000 in fraudulent additional weekly labor charges. A portion of the monies VRT paid to Mobile Auto were federal program funds originating from the Federal Transit Administration, an agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation. In exchange, McGregor received regular kickback payments from Ahalt and others associated with Mobile Auto totaling half of the additional weekly labor charges. In total, McGregor received approximately $190,000 in kickback payments.

McGregor pleaded guilty on a date not specified in the source to conspiracy to commit bribery concerning federal program funds for his role in the scheme. He is scheduled to be sentenced on September 9, 2023. McGregor’s co-conspirator, Thomas Ahalt, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery concerning federal program funds on April 6, 2016, and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 2, 2023.

“Individuals with information related to public corruption in Northern Virginia should call the FBI public corruption hotline at 703-686-6225 or e-mail NOVAPC@ic.fbi.gov,” the FBI said in a statement.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:16-cr-113.

Defendant: Mark W. McGregor
Criminal Charges: Bribery concerning federal program funds
City and State: ALEXANDRIA, Va.
Exact Date: 2023
Sentence: Scheduled to be sentenced on September 9, 2023
Dollar Amounts: $380,000 in losses to the U.S. government, $190,000 in kickback payments

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