A former four-star commander of the United States Navy was found guilty on corruption charges by a judge on Monday after he allegedly forged contracts with a government contractor in exchange for a rewarding post-retirement job there. According to the US Department of Justice, Robert Burke ordered the staff to award a$ 355, 000 contract to the vendor before starting to work there at a$ 500, 000 job until 2022 when he retired from the Navy. Additionally, the Florida native tried unsuccessfully to persuade a other senior naval commander to sign a separate contract for the business. According to court records, a jury found Burke innocent of corruption, performing acts that affected a personal financial attention, and concealing important information. The phrase will be delivered on August 22 through US District Judge Trevor N. McFadden. The Justice Department listed the names of its two co-CEOs as” Kim” and” Messenger,” but the Justice Department withheld the company’s name. They are Burke’s co-defendants in the corruption situation. Burke becomes the senior-most official to be found guilty in recent years for crimes committed while serving in the United States government, according to a ruling by a federal judge following a five-day test. The confidence in the government you represent is undermined when you abuse your location and deceive the people trust to do so. Our business and our law enforcement partners may eliminate corruption, whether it be through bribes or improper contracts, and keep those responsible, no matter what position or title they hold. He even held the title of commander of naval personnel, which he did at the same time as his second-highest place, vice chief of naval operations. The Navy has had other corruption issues in recent years, with the most well-known scandal involving Leonard” Fat Leonard” Francis, who gave naval officers more than$ 500, 000 in cash bribes, provided prostitutes, first-class travel, luxury hotel stays, and lavish meals. After escaping house arrest and traveling to Venezuela the year before being released in a slave transfer the past year, Francis was sentenced to 15 years in prison in November 2024. Francis provided state investigators with precise information as part of a plea deal, which led to the conviction of a number of senior US Navy officers. ( With AFP inputs )
