USAID Bribery Scheme Yields Four Guilty Pleas

A decade-long bribery and fraud scheme at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) resulted in four guilty pleas, including federal contracting officer Roderick Watson and business executives Darryl Britt (Apprio) and Walter Barnes (Vistant). Watson admitted to accepting over $1 million in bribes—such as cash, electronics, and jobs for relatives—in exchange for steering more than $550 million in contracts to Apprio and Vistant between 2013 and 2022. The scheme exploited the SBA 8(a) disadvantaged business program, with bribes funneled through subcontractors like Paul Young and disguised with fake invoices and shell companies. Taxpayer funds were used to pay for personal expenses, including NBA suites, a country club wedding, and vacations. All four defendants pleaded guilty to charges including bribery, conspiracy, and securities fraud, with sentencing expected later in the year. The case has renewed scrutiny of USAID oversight and federal procurement programs.