USAID Official & Executives Admit to $550 Million Bribery & Fraud Scheme
- OpusDatum
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read

Four individuals, including a senior contracting officer for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), have pleaded guilty to participating in a decade-long bribery and fraud scheme that compromised the integrity of the federal procurement process and siphoned more than $550 million in contracts funded by American taxpayers.
Roderick Watson, 57, of Woodstock, Maryland, exploited his position as a USAID contracting officer by accepting over $1 million in bribes from company executives in exchange for manipulating contract awards. His co-conspirators, Walter Barnes, 46, owner of Vistant, and Darryl Britt, 64, owner of Apprio, alongside Paul Young, 62, president of a key subcontractor, also pleaded guilty to charges including conspiracy to commit bribery and securities fraud.
Apprio and Vistant, two small businesses certified under the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 8(a) programme designed to help disadvantaged firms, admitted criminal liability for their roles in the scheme. Both companies have entered into three-year deferred prosecution agreements (DPAs) with the Department of Justice. Under these agreements, they must implement robust ethics and compliance programmes, cooperate fully with federal authorities, and report on remedial measures undertaken.
The scheme spanned nearly a decade, starting in 2013. It began with Watson influencing the award of lucrative USAID contracts to Apprio, later expanding to Vistant when Apprio aged out of eligibility under the 8(a) programme. Bribes were paid not only in cash but also through lavish gifts including mortgage downpayments, sports tickets, and employment opportunities for Watson’s relatives. To conceal these illicit payments, the conspirators used shell companies, false invoices, and disguised payroll records.
In addition to the bribery conspiracy, both Apprio and Vistant engaged in securities fraud. Barnes and Watson deceived a licensed small business investment company (SBIC) into a $14 million credit agreement by withholding the fact that Vistant’s government contracts were tainted by bribery. Similarly, Britt orchestrated a fraudulent sale of Apprio shares and secured a $4 million loan from an SBIC by concealing years of corrupt payments to Watson.
Despite facing substantial penalties under the US Sentencing Guidelines, both Apprio and Vistant demonstrated an inability to pay their full fines without jeopardising their future viability. Following an independent analysis, the Justice Department imposed reduced civil settlements of $500,000 for Apprio and $100,000 for Vistant, reflecting the companies’ financial circumstances and cooperation efforts.
The FBI, USAID Office of Inspector General (USAID-OIG), and IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) led the investigation, with federal prosecutors underscoring the grave damage such corruption inflicts on public trust and the fair administration of government programmes.
Sentencing hearings for the four individuals are scheduled between July and October 2025, with Watson facing a potential 15-year custodial sentence and the other defendants facing up to five years each.
This case sends a clear warning to businesses and individuals exploiting government programmes that corruption will be rigorously investigated and prosecuted. The outcome also reinforces the importance of robust corporate compliance frameworks and transparency in federal contracting, especially where programmes designed to assist disadvantaged businesses are concerned.
Read the press release here.