(PatriotsUnited.org) – A retired four-star Admiral is facing extensive bribery charges.
Last Friday the Department of Justice unveiled the shock indictment against Robert Burke, who is accused of persuading the Navy to contract to major tech firm NextJump so he could attain a lucrative post-retirement sinecure with them. Burke, who could be sentenced to up to three decades behind bars, is accused of conspiracy to commit bribery, bribery, performing acts affecting a personal financial interest, and hiding material facts from the U.S. government.
Burke is accused of having vowed to win the firm “triple digit millions” in revenue. Yongchul “Charlie” Kim and Meghan Messenger, co-CEOs of NextJump, have also been slammed with bribery-related charges.
The indictment states that Burke kicked off secret employment talks with NextJump while serving in the navy. In 2022, several months after Burke’s official retirement from the navy, NextJump took to their social media platforms to celebrate his acceptance of a lucrative senior role with them. Burke is accused of illegally lying to his naval colleagues about the timing of these employment talks. Burke has had a four-decades long glittering career, previously serving as commander of the Italy-based Allied Joint Force Command in Italy, deputy commander of the Navy’s 6th Fleet, and vice chief of naval operations.
His case has parallels with a former scandal linked to a major Malaysian defense magnate, Leonard Glenn Francis. He bribed U.S. naval staff with luxurious gifts to receive pricey port services. The scandal prompted a slew of convictions and shone a light on systemic flaws which opened the contracting process up to corruption.
Burke’s co-defendants, Kim and Messenger, could also face up to 20 years in jail. The DOJ’s unsealing of the indictment signals the onset of a huge legal battle which will conclude whether Burke committed crimes, or was merely unethical. The verdict could not only upend Burke’s life, but spring a series of probes into naval policies and how it may fight corruption and bribery risks going forward.
Copyright 2024, PatriotsUnited.org
