A Lengthy Island enterprise proprietor pleaded responsible in federal courtroom in Central Islip Wednesday to bribing a federal official in a scheme to acquire practically $1 million in federal contracts, officers mentioned.

Michael Montenes, the proprietor of Hauppauge-based M.S. Hello-Tech, a distributor of digital parts, pleaded responsible to a cost in reference to a scheme to pay greater than $18,000 to a Division of Power procurement officer in change for roughly $969,000 in contracts from that division, in accordance the U.S. Division of Justice.

As well as, officers mentioned that the parts Montenes bought to the DOE failed, inflicting $1.8 million in repairs and different prices to the federal authorities.

“Just like the defective parts that he bribed a authorities official to buy and induced injury to a Division of Power laboratory, Montenes’s scheme has gone down in flames and he should now face the results for his crime,” U.S.  Legal professional Breon Peace mentioned in an announcement. “This workplace will proceed to root out corruption that undermines the integrity of aggressive bidding within the procurement course of.”

Officers say that between roughly December 2017 and December 2020, Montenes bribed a procurement officer at a DOE laboratory in Virginia to enter into contracts for digital parts that MSHT would provide to the lab. The funds ranged $500 to $7,200, which Montenes mailed from Lengthy Island the procurement officer in Virginia. Throughout the bribery scheme, the procurement officer, whom officers name “Co-conspirator 1,” awarded contracts price greater than $969,000 to MSHT, which represented 95% of all of MSHT’s gross sales to the DOE’s Virginia laboratory.

Among the digital parts bought by MSHT to DOE, based mostly on Montenes’s bribes, went on to fail and trigger a hearth, officers mentioned. This resulted in roughly $1.8 million in repairs and different prices to DOE.

No quick info was accessible on whether or not there have been any extra arrests. However DOE Inspector Common Teri Donaldson mentioned that his workplace “will proceed to make sure that there isn’t a place in our provide chain for bribery and corrupt schemes. Anybody who suspects such conduct is inspired to report it instantly. We recognize the superb work of the U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace and our federal regulation enforcement companions on this joint investigation.”

As for Montenes, he faces as much as 15 years in jail when sentenced. As a part of his responsible plea, Montenes agreed to forfeit roughly $969,000 and to pay DOE greater than $1.8 million in restitution.

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