Two men have entered guilty pleas in connection to a fraud scheme that siphoned more than $150,000 from MacDill Air Force Base's intramural sports program, a plan that spanned over a decade. Keith Pilawski, 63, of Lutz, and Edwin Ortiz, 58, of Brandon, now face severe repercussions for their actions—up to 20 years in federal prison. The U.S. Attorney's Office stated that, as part of their plea agreements, Pilawski has agreed to forfeit a sum of $67,183 while Ortiz will forfeit $163,300.
In the case presented by the prosecution, Pilawski, who was responsible for the intramural sports at MacDill Air Force Base, conspired with Ortiz to reroute officiating duties to the latter's company. Showering him with contracts that were not the most economic, Pilawski ensured that the games were conveniently scheduled around Ortiz's availability. After not even being covered under the contract for some of these payments, Ortiz, in a gesture that was assumedly of gratitude, kicked back a part of his illicit gains to Pilawski.
These criminal acts were laid bare following an investigation by the Air Force Office of Special Investigations. With Assistant U.S. Attorney Merrilyn Hoenemeyer at the helm of the prosecution, the case is pushing towards a resolution that serves as a sobering reminder of the consequences of fraud and abuse of position.
While a sentencing date has yet to be publicly penciled in the court's calendar, the acknowledgement of guilt by Pilawski and Ortiz brings closure to a saga of deceit that started in 2009 and lasted until 2024.
