Three corporate executives have been locked up for their roles in a long-running bribery scheme that poisoned public contracts across DeKalb County and the Georgia World Congress Center Authority (GWCCA). Anthony Lepore, 64, of Birmingham, Alabama, former President and CEO of Rite Way Service, Inc., was sentenced to nine years in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release. He was also fined $115,000 and ordered to pay restitution. John Rife, 58, of Atlanta, the company’s Regional Vice President overseeing its Georgia Division, received seven years in prison and two years supervised release. Brian Domalik, 52, of Suwanee, Georgia, Division Manager from 2010 to 2014, was sentenced to five years in prison and two years of supervised release.
The trio admitted to conspiring to bribe Patrick Jackson, a public official employed full time by both DeKalb County and the GWCCA, which manages major state assets including the Georgia World Congress Center and Centennial Olympic Park. From summer 2005 through 2012, Lepore, Rife, and former Division Manager Cecil Clark orchestrated a scheme to funnel over $129,000 in illicit benefits to Jackson. These included more than $100,000 in payments covering rent, utilities, and a garage lease for Jackson’s luxury downtown Atlanta apartment, $24,000 in furniture, a $5,100 deposit for event space for a personal party, and additional cash bribes — all in exchange for favorable treatment on multi-million-dollar janitorial contracts.
Domalik stepped into the conspiracy in late 2010 after Clark’s resignation, continuing the corrupt relationship with Jackson through 2012. In return, Jackson used his official position to steer contracts to Rite Way Service, Inc., helping the company win, retain, and expand its lucrative government contracts. The fraud undermined fair competition and diverted taxpayer-funded work from honest bidders playing by the rules.
Patrick Jackson, 55, of Loganville, Georgia, was indicted on September 9, 2014, on one count of conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and nine counts of honest services fraud. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy and was sentenced to four years and three months in federal prison, ordered to pay restitution to both DeKalb County and the GWCCA, and fined $20,000. Cecil Clark, 55, of Jonesboro, Georgia, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery on May 26, 2015, and was sentenced to one year and one month in prison, plus restitution and a $20,000 fine.
“Public corruption, whether it’s corrupt officials who take bribes or the boardroom executives who pay them, is absolutely unacceptable,” said U.S. Attorney John Horn. “These sentences should provide a measure of justice to the businesses across the State of Georgia that do business honestly, ethically, and lawfully.”
“This sentencing of three corporate executives brings to close an extensive federal public corruption investigation conducted by the FBI with assistance from the GBI,” said David J. LeValley, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Atlanta Field Office. “This case makes it very clear to all that those engaged in enticing public officials via bribes, kickbacks or quid pro quos, are subject to investigation and prosecution as well. The FBI asks that anyone with information regarding similar such activities involving public corruption to contact their nearest FBI field office.”
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Key Facts
- State: Georgia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
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