In a stunning verdict this week, retired U.S. Navy Admiral Robert Burke of Coconut Creek, Florida, was found guilty of engaging in a bribery scheme involving a lucrative government contract in exchange for a promised future job with a private company.
Following a five-day trial, a federal jury handed down convictions on multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit bribery, using a government position for personal financial benefit, and concealing crucial information from federal authorities. Sentencing is scheduled for August 22, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden.
The case was announced by high-level officials from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), the FBI Washington Field Office, and the Justice Department, including Special Agent Greg Gross, Assistant Director Steven J. Jensen, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, and Criminal Division Chief Matthew R. Galeotti.
“Public service should never be used as a bargaining chip for personal gain,” stated U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This case underscores our ongoing commitment to rooting out corruption, regardless of status or rank.”
Burke, who achieved the rank of four-star admiral, commanded U.S. Navy operations across Europe, Russia, and parts of Africa between 2020 and 2022. During this time, he oversaw thousands of service members and civilian personnel, court documents reveal.
The scandal traces back to 2018 and 2019, when Burke’s two co-defendants, Kim and Messenger, were serving as co-CEOs of a company identified in court as “Firm A.” During their tenure, the company launched a workforce training pilot program for a targeted segment of Navy personnel.
However, by the end of 2019, the Navy severed ties with Firm A and instructed the company to avoid further contact with Burke. Despite this, the company’s executives met with Burke in Washington, D.C., in July 2021 to reignite their business relationship—ignoring prior Navy orders.
At that meeting, Burke allegedly agreed to use his influence to help the company secure new Navy contracts in exchange for a future position at Firm A. Evidence presented at trial indicated that all parties understood the agreement would benefit the firm with contracts potentially worth hundreds of millions.
In December 2021, Burke ordered his staff to move forward with a $355,000 contract awarding Firm A the task of training Navy personnel stationed in Italy and Spain. The training took place in January 2022.
Burke later attempted—unsuccessfully—to persuade another senior Navy official to approve a larger contract for Firm A. Meanwhile, he submitted misleading information to government officials to hide the nature of his relationship with the company, including misstatements on federal ethics forms and false timelines about his employment discussions.
Burke officially joined Firm A in October 2022, accepting 100,000 stock options and an annual salary of $500,000.
The investigation is being carried out jointly by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, NCIS, and the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca G. Ross, Trial Attorneys Trevor Wilmot and Kathryn E. Fifield of the DOJ’s Public Integrity Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Rothstein, who oversaw the initial indictment.
This article was independently reported and compiled using verified sources and official statements.
