USAID official pleads guilty to taking part in $550M bribery scheme: ‘Violated the public trust’

A federal contracting officer and three businessmen pleaded guilty Thursday to participating in a $550 million bribery scheme involving the embattled US Agency for International Development (USAID). 

Roderick Watson, of Maryland, is alleged to have received bribes valued in excess of $1 million while working at USAID in exchange for using his position as a trusted overseer of taxpayer money to direct 14 prime federal contracts to two consulting companies, Apprio and Vistant. 

Watson, 57, pleaded guilty to bribery of a public official and faces up to 15 years in prison. He’s scheduled to be sentenced in October.