The D.C. government is just recovering from its Tax office scandal in which about $50 million was stolen. Now we have another scandal, though thankfully it doesn’t match up to the tax scandal.
By Del Quentin Wilber and Nikita Stewart
Washington Post Staff Writers
WASHINGTON — A D.C. government official and a business executive were arrested yesterday on bribery charges involving city technology contracts that included “ghost” workers and kickbacks, federal authorities said.
Raiding offices in the hunt for documents, FBI agents carted away boxes and envelopes throughout the day from the Office of the Chief Technology Officer, the center of the alleged fraud.
In court documents released yesterday, FBI agent Andrew Sekela laid out the complicated and audacious schemes allegedly orchestrated by a mid-level manager who approved many contracts involving the city government’s technology needs.
Authorities said the conspiracy was uncovered with the help of a D.C. government employee who recorded conversations with the executive and the city official.
The ultimate cost to the city is not known, but the disclosure comes as it is trying to recoup its losses from an embarrassing tax swindle that siphoned almost $50 million from its coffers over almost two decades.
Until recently, the technology office was headed by Vivek Kundra, who has taken a job as President Obama’s chief information officer. A White House official confirmed last night that Kundra has taken a leave of absence.
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