By: Lindsay Simmons
The Justice Department just announced that Cashman, a Building Manager for the General Services Administration (GSA), received a 4½ year sentence (16 months of which will be in custody and the balance in supervised release), for demanding and accepting bribes from government contractors and stealing property owned by the United States. Justice Department Announcement October 23, 2015. During the sentencing, the government demonstrated how Cashman used his position with GSA (overseeing operations at several Ports of Entry) for his personal gain rather than to fulfill GSA’s mission.
For many years Cashman provided favorable treatment to contractors in the award of GSA contracts –all in exchange for bribes. For example, he demanded $10,000 in cash and thousands of dollars’ worth of construction services on his personal residence from one government contractor. He also demanded that a government contractor pay another contractor (Contractor “A”) $120,000 in exchange for being awarded a GSA construction contract. Then Cashman took payments from Company “A” totaling $42,000. None of the bribes Cashman received were reported to the IRS in his federal income tax returns.
And that’s not all. Cashman took thousands of dollars in valuable Government building materials for his own use, and directed GSA contractors to transport such materials from GSA facilities to locations where he could sell or use them.
Ten other individuals have been convicted in connection with the Cushman schemes – many of them government contractors.
Remember, you cannot offer and a government official cannot demand or accept any favors, benefits, gifts, or gratuities from you. If you believe you are being asked to engage in this kind of activity, report it.
Lindsay Simmons is responsible for the contents of this Short Take.
© Jackson Kelly PLLC 2015