Leah B. Foley United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts | Department of Justice
A former Security Specialist with the U.S. Department of Energy, Edward Doherty, pleaded guilty on Mar. 11 in federal court in Boston to attempting to bribe another Department of Energy employee in order to secure government contracts for his private company.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by federal authorities to address public corruption and protect the integrity of government contracting processes.
According to court records, Doherty, age 35 and a resident of Washington, D.C. and Weymouth, Massachusetts, admitted guilt to charges including honest services fraud, payment of illegal gratuities, and bribery of a public official. Sentencing is scheduled for July 8 before U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns.
Prosecutors said that Doherty started a company called MAE Systems, LLC (MAE) in November 2024 while still employed at the Department of Energy. In February 2025, he offered money to a DOE employee in exchange for ensuring MAE would receive department contracts. The targeted DOE employee reported the incident to law enforcement officials.
Between February and June 2025, Doherty was recorded offering at least $10,000 as part of the scheme and made two downpayments totaling $2,500 toward securing a contract for his company through bribery.
The potential penalties include up to 20 years imprisonment for honest services wire fraud; up to two years imprisonment for payment of illegal gratuities; and up to fifteen years imprisonment for bribery of a public official. Fines may reach $250,000 per charge along with periods of supervised release as determined by federal sentencing guidelines.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced the plea along with Ted E. Docks from the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Boston Division and Department of Energy Assistant Inspector General Lewe Sessions. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristina E. Barclay is prosecuting the case.
