When you abuse your position and betray the public trust to line your own pockets, it undermines the confidence in the government you represent. Our office, with our law enforcement partners, will root out corruption – be it bribes or illegal contracts – and hold accountable the… https://t.co/Qp3iJC0hI5
— US Attorney Pirro (@USAttyPirro) May 19, 2025
📸 BREAKING: Retired four-star Navy Admiral Robert P. Burke, aged 63, has been found guilty on federal charges including bribery, conspiracy to commit bribery, acts affecting a personal financial interest, and concealment of material facts.
— Kagan.Dunlap (@Kagan_M_Dunlap) May 19, 2025
The conviction stems from a scheme… pic.twitter.com/7lLuMcP8KD
BREAKING: Retired four-star Navy Admiral Robert P. Burke, aged 63, has been found guilty on federal charges including bribery, conspiracy to commit bribery, acts affecting a personal financial interest, and concealment of material facts.
The conviction stems from a scheme where Burke, while serving as a four-star admiral in 2021, awarded a $355,000 sole-source contract to a New York-based company, Next Jump, for workforce training in Italy and Spain. In exchange, he secured a post-retirement job with Next Jump starting in October 2022, with a $500,000 annual salary and 100,000 stock options.
Burke, who retired in August 2022 as commander of U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa, was the Navy’s former vice chief of naval operations (2019–2020) and chief of naval personnel (2016–2019). The bribery scheme involved Burke allegedly steering contracts to Next Jump’s co-CEOs, Yongchul “Charlie” Kim and Meghan Messenger, who were also charged.
Burke was accused of lying to the Navy about his role in the contract and the timing of employment discussions to conceal the scheme.
Burke faces up to 30 years in prison, though first-time offenders typically receive lighter penalties. This case marks him as the highest-ranking U.S. military officer convicted of a crime.
Replies