美国邮政局前采购官员James E. Lee Sr.认罪受贿：操纵数亿美元合同、亲属收取近18.3万美元，定于2027年2月判刑
美国司法部10月29日宣布，美国邮政局（USPS）前采购官员 James E. Lee Sr. 当日认罪，承认串谋受贿与诚实服务电信诈骗（conspiring to commit bribery and honest services wire fraud）。Lee 此前是负责加急包装用品的产品管理专员，并在多份制造与供应加急包装用品的合同上担任合同官代表。
据法庭文件，约自2018年年中至2023年末，Lee 与他人合谋操纵邮政局采购流程，把某些价值达数亿美元的合同授予或保留给四家公司。Lee 为这些公司提供优待与竞争优势，包括审阅其技术提案草稿、向其泄露定价等内部机密信息。
Lee 还亲自作出公务行为并影响其他官员，同时利用一名亲属及其咨询公司作中间人传递信息、掩盖其操纵。涉事公司则雇用该亲属担任员工或顾问，作为交换共支付了近183,000美元。
司法部表示，Lee 的这名亲属与一家制造公司的一名前高管也已认罪、正等待判刑。Lee 的判刑定于2027年2月25日举行。
这项宣布由司法部刑事司助理检察长 A. Tysen Duva、美国邮政局监察长办公室执行特别探员主管 Kevin Cloninger 与联邦调查局（FBI）特别探员主管 Richard Evanchec 作出。案件由美国邮政局监察长办公室与 FBI Pittsburgh 外勤办公室调查，刑事司公共廉政科科长 Edward P. Sullivan 负责起诉。
Former USPS Official James E. Lee Sr. Pleads Guilty to Bribery: Steered Contracts Worth Hundreds of Millions, Relative Paid Nearly $183,000
The U.S. Department of Justice announced on October 29 that James E. Lee Sr., a former procurement official for the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), pleaded guilty that day to conspiring to commit bribery and honest services wire fraud. Lee was a product management specialist overseeing expedited packaging supplies and served as a contracting officer representative on several contracts to manufacture and provide those supplies.
According to court documents, between approximately mid-2018 and late 2023, Lee and others steered the procurement process for lucrative USPS contracts, worth hundreds of millions of dollars in certain instances, so they would be awarded to, or retained by, four different companies. Lee gave the companies preferential treatment and competitive advantages, including reviewing draft technical proposals and disclosing confidential internal information regarding pricing and other issues.
Lee also performed official acts and influenced other officials, and used a relative and the relative's consulting company as an intermediary to pass information and conceal his efforts. In exchange, the companies hired Lee's relative as an employee or consultant, resulting in payments totaling nearly $183,000.
Lee's relative and a former executive for one of the manufacturing companies have also pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Lee is scheduled for sentencing on February 25, 2027.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department's Criminal Division, Executive Special Agent in Charge Kevin Cloninger of the USPS Office of Inspector General, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Richard Evanchec made the announcement. The USPS Office of Inspector General and the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office are investigating the case, and Chief Edward P. Sullivan of the Criminal Division's Public Integrity Section is prosecuting it.
来源：GSM·美国（原文链接）
图片来源：位于华盛顿的美国邮政局（USPS）总部入口。Tony Webster 摄，CC BY 2.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Entrance to U.S. Postal Service headquarters in Washington, D.C. Photo by Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
