Navy Admiral, Executives Busted in $500K Bribery Scam

WASHINGTON – In a shocking case of corruption, Robert Burke, 62, of Coconut Creek, Florida, a retired Navy Admiral, and two business executives – Yongchul “Charlie” Kim, 50, and Meghan Messenger, 47, both of New York – were arrested this morning on charges related to their alleged roles in a bribery scheme that involved a U.S. government contract.

The charges are contained in a five-count indictment, unsealed today, and relate to an alleged scheme in which the Admiral accepted future employment at the executives’ company in exchange for awarding them a government contract. The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and other senior officials.

According to the indictment, from 2020 to 2022, Robert Burke was a four-star Admiral who oversaw Naval operations in Europe, Russia, and most of Africa, and commanded thousands of civilian and military personnel. Despite the Navy’s instructions to not contact Burke after terminating a contract with the company in late 2019, Kim and Messenger allegedly met with Burke in July 2021 to reestablish their business relationship with the Navy.

At the meeting, the charged defendants allegedly agreed that Burke would use his position as a Navy Admiral to steer a sole-source contract to the company in exchange for future employment at the company. They allegedly further agreed that Burke would use his official position to influence other Navy officers to award another contract to the company, valued at “triple digit millions.”

In furtherance of the conspiracy, in December 2021, Burke allegedly ordered his staff to award a $355,000 contract to the company to train personnel under Burke’s command in Italy and Spain. Burke allegedly promoted the company in a failed effort to convince a senior Navy Admiral to award another contract to the company. To conceal the scheme, Burke allegedly made several false and misleading statements to the Navy.

In October 2022, Burke began working at the company at a yearly starting salary of $500,000 and a grant of 100,000 stock options. The indictment charges Burke, Kim, and Messenger with bribery, conspiracy, and making false statements. “As alleged in the indictment, Admiral Burke used his public office and his four-star status for his private gain,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves. “The law does not make exceptions for admirals or CEOs. Those who pay and receive bribes must be held accountable.”