Federal authorities have uncovered a massive corruption scheme involving a U.S. Agency for International Development official and multiple corporate executives. The decade-long conspiracy has sent shockwaves through government contracting circles.
According to The Daily Caller, the Department of Justice announced Thursday that a USAID contracting officer and three company executives have admitted to participating in a bribery scheme connected to over $550 million in taxpayer-funded contracts.
The guilty pleas reveal how government insiders manipulated federal contracting processes designed to help disadvantaged businesses, instead using them as vehicles for personal enrichment at taxpayer expense.
Roderick Watson, 57, of Woodstock, Maryland, confessed to accepting bribes while serving as a USAID contracting officer - a position that gave him significant influence over contract awards. Beginning in 2013, Watson received approximately $1 million in bribes from various business executives.
These illegal payments came in multiple forms, including cash, laptops, expensive NBA tickets, payments toward two-home mortgages, cell phones, and jobs for Watson's relatives. In exchange, Watson manipulated the procurement process to steer lucrative government contracts to companies involved in the scheme.
The elaborate bribery operation centered around the Small Business Administration's 8(a) Business Development Program, which is designed to help small disadvantaged businesses compete for federal contracts. Instead of fulfilling this mission, participants exploited the program for personal gain.
Darryl Britt, 64, of Myakka City, Florida, initially secured contracts through Watson's influence while his company was enrolled in the federal business development program. After Britt's company graduated from the program, Walter Barnes' firm took its place.
Barnes, 46, of Potomac, Maryland, continued the scheme, with his company serving as the prime contractor while Britt's firm became a subcontractor. This arrangement allowed the corrupt relationship to continue uninterrupted from 2018 to 2022.
Paul Young, 62, of Columbia, Maryland, played a crucial role as the middleman, channeling bribe payments to Watson. As president of another firm subcontracted to both Britt's and Barnes' companies, Young helped conceal the true nature of the payments.
Watson faces the most severe potential penalty of the individuals involved, with up to 15 years behind bars for bribery of a public official. The three corporate executives each face up to five years in prison for their roles.
Both corporate entities implicated in the scheme have also admitted criminal liability. The companies entered into three-year deferred prosecution agreements with federal authorities, agreeing to pay civil settlements and implement compliance measures.
Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department's Criminal Division, emphasized the gravity of the crimes, stating: "The defendants sought to enrich themselves at the expense of American taxpayers through bribery and fraud."
The scandal comes amid heightened attention to USAID spending under President Trump's second administration. The agency has undergone significant budget reductions following reviews of its expenditures.
U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes of the District of Maryland highlighted the fundamental values at stake: "Public trust is a hallmark of our nation's values, so corruption within a federal government agency is intolerable."
The case represents one of the largest bribery schemes involving USAID in recent memory, with contracts worth over half a billion dollars affected by the corruption. The guilty pleas signal the conclusion of a major investigation but raise questions about oversight mechanisms at federal agencies.
