Retired Navy Admiral Robert Burke.
Courtesy: US Navy
A retired four-star U.S. Navy admiral who was once the military branch's second-highest officer was arrested Friday in connection with a bribery scheme involving two tech CEOs, the Department of Justice announced.
From 2020 to 2022, Robert Burke, a 62-year-old resident of Coconut Creek, Florida, allegedly used his high status in the Navy to help Yongchul “Charlie” Kim and Meghan Messenger, the co-CEOs of New York, based workplace technology platform Next Jump, according to the DOJ, wins military contracts.
In 2021, Burke reportedly told his staff to award Kim and Messenger a $355,000 military contract. In return, Kim and Messenger allegedly promised Burke a job at their company in the future.
In 2022Burke began working as a senior partner at Next Jump with a starting salary of $500,000 and 100,000 stock options, the DOJ said.
Burke faces a maximum prison sentence of 30 years, while Kim and Messenger each face 20 years.
Attorneys for Burke, Messenger and Kim did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent after business hours.
