A Washington, D.C., man has admitted to bribing a United States General Services Administration (GSA) official. James Tillman, 57, entered a guilty plea for his involvement in bribing a former GSA contracting officer representative known as Public Official A. The GSA is responsible for managing federal property, and Tillman owned a construction company that subcontracted on GSA projects.
The announcement was made by Phil Selden, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland; Antoinette T. Bacon from the Justice Department Criminal Division; Robert C. Erickson, Deputy Inspector General of the GSA Office of Inspector General (GSA-OIG); William J. DelBagno, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Baltimore Field Office; Kelly P. Mayo, Deputy Inspector General of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General (DOD-OIG), Defense Criminal Investigative Service; and Joseph V. Cuffari Ph.D., Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General (DHS-OIG).
Court documents reveal that between 2020 and 2021, Tillman gave approximately $59,800 in money and items to Public Official A to secure federal project work for his company. In 2020, he paid about $8,000 in cash to Public Official A in Clinton, Maryland. In 2021, at the direction of Public Official A, Tillman purchased a sports car for them. Through this scheme, Tillman's company earned over $100,000 in profits.
Tillman pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery and bribery of a federal public official. He could face up to 20 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Sentencing is set for June 2, 2025 at 2 p.m., presided over by U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman.
Acting United States Attorney Phil Selden commended the efforts of GSA-OIG, FBI Baltimore Field Office, DOD-OIG, and DHS-OIG in their investigation work. He also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel Crespo and Department of Justice Trial Attorney Jonathan E. Jacobson for prosecuting the case.
For more details about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office and its community resources, visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.