Indian American Former CEO Pleads Guilty to Paying Bribes

A former chief executive officer of a Detroit-based information technology company pleaded guilty on May 30 for his involvement in plotting a scheme to bribe a city official to obtain benefits for the company, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a statement.

Parimal D Mehta, 54, of Northville, Michigan, was the former CEO of FutureNet Group Inc. Mehta pleaded guilty to one count of federal program bribery before U.S. District Judge Robert H. Cleland. His sentencing has been scheduled for Sept. 27, 2018.

Mehta hand-delivered more than $6,500 to Charles L. Dodd, the former Director of Detroit’s Office of Departmental Technology Services, from 2009 to August 2016. This included two cash bribes that Mehta paid to Dodd in a restaurant in Detroit in 2016, according to admissions made in connection with his plea, the statement added.

“Mehta sought preferential treatment for FutureNet in exchange for the bribes he paid to Dodd. Among other things, Mehta asked Dodd to cause FutureNet to be selected to fill open positions for contract personnel and to implement particular technological projects in various city departments,” the Department of Justice said.

Dodd held substantial influence over the administration of multi million-dollar contracts between the city of Detroit and private information technology companies.

Mehta also asked Dodd to give him confidential information about Detroit’s internal operations. This included information on Detroit’s internal budgets for particular technology projects and personnel, which would benefit FutureNet in its dealings with Detroit.

Mehta was indicted in January this year. The indictment alleged that Mehta and FutureNet reaped benefits from Dodd’s influence over the administration of city contracts as well as expenditures under those contracts. Mehta also benefitted from the hiring and selection of contract personnel.

Mehta was also alleged to have employed Dodd’s family members at FutureNet and its subsidiaries.

In September 2016, Dodd pleaded guilty for accepting bribe payments from two information technology companies that provided services and personnel to the city of Detroit. He admitted to accepting cash payments, a trip to North Carolina, among other things of value from Mehta, besides cash and other valuable items from the CEO and an employee of another information technology company. In return for these cash payments, Dodd agreed to provide preferential treatment to the companies.