Guilty Plea by Ex-FAA Supervisor in Fraud Case
A former supervisor at FAA's William J. Hughes Technical Center at the Atlanta City Airport in New Jersey pleaded guilty June 13 to participating in a contract fraud scheme that netted him about $159,000, according to U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Christie in Trenton. Darrell Woods, 49, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering; his sentencing is set for Sept. 17.
Woods' official duties at the center included participating in developing, testing, evaluating, and deploying computer systems and also contracting with private contractors for related services. He reviewed contractor proposals, oversaw FAA purchase orders, and approved payments to contractors, according to a release from Christie's office. The scheme in which he participated involved structuring FAA contracts to favor a contractor who was a former FAA employee and who paid about $159,700 to Woods in 19 installments, the release says. The release also says Woods allowed the contractor to participate in drafting contract specifications without disclosing this.
"This investigation demonstrates the ensuring the integrity of the acquisition process and protecting taxpayer dollars from fraud and abuse are top priorities of both the Office of Inspector General and the Department of Transportation," said Ned Schwartz, DOT's OIG Special Agent in Charge.