Thomas Berlucchi, Accepting Illegal Gratuties, Michigan 2024

DETROIT, Michigan – Thomas Berlucchi, a 61-year-old Facilities Engineer for the United States Postal Service (USPS), pleaded guilty to accepting over $6,500 in illegal gratuities from a USPS contractor, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.

Berlucchi, of Troy, Michigan, stands convicted of accepting illegal gratuities from Michael Rymar, the owner of Horizons Materials & Management LLC, which was awarded contracts to repair USPS buildings in Michigan and New York.

Between 2013 and 2018, Berlucchi admitted to accepting free construction work on his cottage, including exterior stairs and a new roof, free hotel rooms, and donations by Rymar to Berlucchi’s preferred organization, in exchange for awards of hundreds of thousands of dollars in work to Rymar.

Rymar has been charged with and pleaded guilty to stealing government funds, committing fraud in the USPS contracts he had received. He overcharged the USPS by $1.2 million out of the $5 million in contracts he was awarded.

United States Attorney Ison stated, ‘Federal employees who corrupt the contracting process by accepting illegal gratuities from contractors will be caught and punished.’

Berlucchi faces a maximum sentence of two years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 201(c)(1)(B), gratuity to a public official.

Under the United States Sentencing Commission Guidelines, Berlucchi is facing a sentence of between 8 to 14 months in prison.

The investigation of this case was conducted by the United States Postal Service, Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Cares.

Berlucchi’s conviction is a major blow to the USPS and a reminder that federal employees who engage in corrupt activities will be held accountable.

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