Another official from the Trump administration faces felony charges as retired four-star Navy Admiral Robert Burke was arrested Friday on accusations of accepting bribes to steer government contracts to a company that promised him a lucrative job, according to the Justice Department.
Burke, who was the Navy’s second-highest-ranking officer and served as vice chief of naval operations during part of the Trump administration, allegedly took part in the bribery scheme shortly before his retirement.
“As alleged in the indictment, Admiral Burke used his public office and his four-star status for his private gain,” US Attorney Matthew Graves stated. “The law does not make exceptions for admirals or CEOs. Those who pay and receive bribes must be held accountable.”
The indictment claims that Burke, 62, accepted a $500,000 yearly salary and 100,000 stock options from his co-conspirators, Yongchul “Charlie” Kim and Meghan Messenger, in exchange for using his influence to direct a government contract to “Company A.”
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Kim and Messenger, co-CEOs of “Company A,” allegedly contacted Burke multiple times between 2019 and 2022 about a government contract, despite the Navy’s warnings not to engage with the four-star admiral. “Company A” had previously provided workforce training to a Navy component but lost its contract in late 2019.
The DOJ reports that Kim and Messenger met with Burke in Washington, D.C., in July 2021, aiming to reestablish their business with the Navy. It was during this meeting that the bribery scheme was allegedly agreed upon, ensuring Burke would use his position to award a lucrative contract to Company A before retiring and joining the company.
Kim estimated the future contract’s value to be “triple digit millions.” Burke is accused of directing his staff to award a $355,000 contract to Company A for training personnel in Italy and Spain and promoting the company to a senior Navy admiral before retiring. Ultimately, the company did not secure another Navy contract.
To conceal the scheme, Burke allegedly made several false statements to the Navy, creating the impression that he was not involved in awarding the contract and falsely implying that employment discussions with Company A began months after the contract was awarded, according to the DOJ.
Burke, Kim, and Messenger face charges of conspiracy to commit bribery and bribery. Burke is also charged with performing acts affecting a personal financial interest and concealing material facts from the United States. If convicted, Burke faces up to 30 years in prison, while Kim and Messenger each face up to 20 years.
Burke’s attorney, Timothy Parlatore, asserted that Burke would plead not guilty and intends to clear his name at trial, claiming, “There was no connection between this contract and his employment. The math just doesn’t make sense that he would give them this relatively small contract for that type of a job offer.”
Court documents identify “Company A” only by this pseudonym, but NextJump’s website names Kim and Messenger as co-CEOs and mentions a Navy contract aligning with the indictment.
