Three former Fort Bragg employees are accused of bribery and money laundering related to government contracts.
Calvin Alfonza Jordan, 64, Edward Wade Crisco, 59, and Stephen Paul Sabato, 50, were indicted on the charges Aug. 3 and arrested Aug. 13, according to court documents and a U.S. Attorney news release earlier this month.
Jordan faces charges of accepting money in return for increasing federal contract amounts and a money laundering charge.
Sabato and Crisco are charged with two counts of receiving bribes and gratuities for steering contracts to vendors and for recommending particular contractors for jobs and by passing their work on inspection without regard to completion workmanship.
All three were employees of Fort Bragg’s Directorate of Public Works.
The Directorate of Public Works is responsible for design, construction, maintenance and operation of utility systems on post, along with providing centralized management of Army family housing.
According to the indictment, maintenance work such as roofing, electrical and plumbing can be assigned to a procurement agent who contracts for needed services.
A DPW purchasing agent can hire a contractor to complete the work if it’s estimated to cost less than $2,500.
The indictment states Jordan was a procurement agent at Fort Bragg and authorized to use a government purchase card if cost of services or supplies did not exceed $2,500.
Crisco was a floor technician at Fort Bragg, and Sabato was a roof technician.
The indictment alleges that between Sept. 30, 2011, and Aug. 26, 2019, Jordan accepted payments from companies doing business with the government “in return for increasing the amount of federal contracts with that company and persons.”
According to the news release, Jordan allegedly received payments of at least $200 each during the eight-year period to total about $1.08 million.
He allegedly laundered some of the funds by making cash deposits and withdrawing the money to make large purchases including a 2013 BMW Alpina.
Sabato allegedly received at least $200,000, and Crisco allegedly received at least $50,000, the news release states.
The indictment alleges that Crisco accepted payments from companies doing business with the government in return for increasing the amount of the federal contracts and “by recommending particular contractors for jobs and by passing their work on inspection without regard to completion workmanship so that they would be considered for additional jobs.”
Sabato faces a similar allegation as Crisco for accepting payments between Sept. 30, 2011, and Aug. 26, 2019, in return for increasing the amount of federal contracts “by passing their work on inspection without regard to completion workmanship so that they would be considered for additional jobs,” the indictment states.
If convicted, Jordan will be required to forfeit the BMW and more than $1.08 million. He also would face a $250,000 fine for each count and up to 30 years imprisonment.
Sabato will be required to forfeit at least $200,000 and Crisco will be required to forfeit at least $50,000 if they are convicted.
Sabato and Crisco each also face a $250,000 fine for each count and 15 years imprisonment.
“Any allegations of bribery by a government employee are disheartening,” Norman Acker, acting U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, said in the news release. “In this case, it is alleged these men, tasked with maintaining and contracting to maintain the very spaces in which the members of our military live and work, put their own monetary gain above that task.”
The Defense Criminal Investigative Service and the U.S. Army Criminal Investigative Division, Major Procurement Fraud Unit, are investigating the case.
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