WASHINGTON – Admiral Robert Burke, a retired U.S. Navy officer from Coconut Creek, Florida, has been found guilty of bribery. The charges stem from allegations that he accepted future employment at a government vendor in exchange for awarding the company a government contract.
After a five-day trial, a federal jury convicted Burke of conspiracy to commit bribery, bribery itself, performing acts affecting personal financial interests, and concealing material facts from the United States. Sentencing is set for August 22, 2025, by U.S. District Court Judge Trevor N. McFadden.
The verdict was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro alongside Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Greg Gross of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Economic Crimes Field Office, and Steven J. Jensen of the FBI Washington Field Office.
U.S. Attorney Pirro stated: “When you abuse your position and betray the public trust to line your own pockets, it undermines the confidence in the government you represent.”
Court documents revealed that between 2020 and 2022, Burke was an admiral overseeing U.S. naval operations across Europe, Russia, and parts of Africa. He commanded numerous civilian and military personnel during this time. Co-defendants Kim and Messenger were co-CEOs of Company A which provided workforce training to a Navy component from August 2018 through July 2019 before their contract was terminated in late 2019.
Despite directives against further contact with Burke after termination, Company A's executives met him in July 2021 to renew business relations with the Navy. They allegedly agreed that Burke would help secure contracts for Company A in exchange for future employment opportunities there.
In December 2021, under Burke's orders, his staff awarded a $355,000 contract to Company A for training purposes in Italy and Spain conducted in January 2022. Subsequently employed by Company A in October 2022 at an annual salary of $500,000 plus stock options worth 100,000 shares; Burke had promoted Company A unsuccessfully within Navy circles while making misleading statements on ethics disclosure forms about when employment discussions began.
This case involved investigations by several agencies including Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), NCIS along with FBI’s Washington Field Office led prosecution efforts spearheaded by Assistant U.S Attorney Rebecca G Ross supported by Trial Attorneys Trevor Wilmot & Kathryn E Fifield from Public Integrity Section under supervision Assistant US Attorney Joshua Rothstein handling indictment proceedings.
