Bridgette Crowell, a former public official once in charge of managing government contracts in the District of Columbia's Office of Contracting and Procurement (OCP), has entered a guilty plea for her role in a conspiracy to commit wire and honest services fraud. The plea was part of a larger investigation that unveiled a pattern of corruption involving steering contracts to accomplices' businesses in exchange for kickbacks. According to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia, Crowell's sentencing is scheduled for September 6, 2024, by U.S. District Court Judge Tanya S. Chutkan.
The guilty pleas, which implicate not only Crowell but also her cohorts in the fraudulent scheme, were the result of investigative efforts led by multiple agencies, including the FBI and the District of Columbia's Office of the Inspector General. Crowell, 39, of Laurel, Maryland, garnered payments such as cash and a new car as rewards for her illegal activities. In connection with the case, Obinna Ogbu, 52, of Silver Spring, Maryland, also pleaded guilty admitting to similar charges, while Ifediora Oli, 41, has pleaded not guilty.
US Attorney Matthew M. Graves emphasized the gravity of the offenses, stating, "The defendants have admitted to a corrupt scheme where government contracts were steered to companies that unlawfully paid government officials in connection with the contracts." Such acts, he noted, undermine the integrity of public agencies and will not be tolerated. FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Scott underlined the commitment to root out corruption, which erodes trust in public servants.
Acting Inspector General Kevin B. Muhlendorf of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority's Office of Inspector General and Inspector General Daniel W. Lucas of the D.C. Office of the Inspector General also commented on the case, expressing their offices' dedication to prosecuting those who exploit public trust for personal benefit. The investigation revealed that Crowell misused her position to alert her accomplices to upcoming solicitations, provided them with non-public information including details about contract pricing, and took steps to mask her personal connections to the benefitted companies.
Details from court documents indicate that Crowell's misconduct culminated in her co-conspirators' private companies gaining roughly $2 million from WMATA and District contracts. The case against Crowell and her accomplices is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Visser of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
