Two Men Face Charges in $100 Million Government Contracts Scheme

An ex-Navy civilian employee and a former executive have been charged with participating in a $100 million government contracts scheme, according to the Justice Department Friday.

From 2009 to 2016, James Soriano served at the Naval Information Warfare Center, where he helped manage Department of Defense contracts, said the DOJ. Soriano allegedly used his influence to steer contracts to Russell Thurston, executive vice president of a company competing for defense contracts.

Thurston allegedly gave Soriano free meals, sports tickets, and job offers to family members and friends in exchange for benefiting the company, the agency said. Allegedly, Thurston’s company ...