A former high ranking official with Immigration and Customs Enforcement pleaded guilty Tuesday in D.C. to defrauding the government out of more than $180,000 in a scheme that involved other employees and fraudulent travel vouchers, time and attendance slips and kickbacks.
James Woosley, the former Acting Director of Intelligence for ICE, pleaded guilty and admitted being part of the scheme that included him getting kickbacks, authorities said. Four others have pleaded guilty to being part of the scheme. In all, the losses totaled about $600,000 to the government, authorities said.
“Today James Woosley became the fifth – and highest-ranking – individual to plead guilty as part of a series of fraud schemes among rogue employees and contractors at ICE,” said U.S. Attorney Ronald Machen in a statement. “He abused his sensitive position of trust to fleece the government by submitting phony paperwork for and taking kickbacks from subordinates who were also on the take. This ongoing investigation demonstrates our dedication to protecting the taxpayer from corrupt government employees and contractors.”
