A former USAID official and three corporate executives have pleaded guilty in a long-running bribery scheme involving over $550 million in federal contracts, the U.S. Justice Department announced. The conspiracy, spanning a decade, involved kickbacks in exchange for lucrative government contracts.

Two contractors—Apprio, Inc. and PM Consulting Group LLC (d/b/a Vistant)—admitted criminal liability and entered deferred prosecution agreements (DPAs) with prosecutors, avoiding immediate penalties in exchange for compliance reforms.

The scheme allegedly involved bribes to a USAID contracting officer, who manipulated contracts in favor of the companies. The DOJ’s investigation highlights ongoing vulnerabilities in federal procurement oversight. The case underscores the need for stricter enforcement to prevent corruption in government contracting, particularly in agencies managing large budgets like USAID.

Sentencing for the individuals is pending, while the companies face fines and monitoring under their DPAs.