The Navy’s former second-in-command is now facing up to 20 years in prison after being convicted of steering a $355,000 contract to a training company in exchange for a lucrative post-retirement job paying $500,000 annually.
Key Takeaways
- Retired Admiral Robert P. Burke is the highest-ranking U.S. military officer ever convicted of a federal crime while on active duty.
- Burke was found guilty of bribery, conspiracy, performing acts affecting personal financial interest, and concealing material facts.
- The admiral used his position to steer a $355,000 Navy contract to Next Jump in exchange for future employment with a $500,000 salary.
- Burke faces up to 20 years in prison for the bribery and conspiracy charges alone, with sentencing scheduled for August 22, 2025.
- The case represents another major corruption scandal for Navy leadership, following several others in recent years.
Highest-Ranking Navy Officer Convicted in Historic Corruption Case
Retired Admiral Robert P. Burke, who served as the Navy’s Vice Chief of Naval Operations and commanded U.S. naval forces in Europe, Russia, and Africa, has been convicted in a brazen corruption scheme that has rocked the military establishment. Burke, a four-star admiral who was the second-highest ranking officer in the Navy before his retirement in 2022, was found guilty of bribery, conspiracy to commit bribery, performing acts affecting a personal financial interest, and concealing material facts from government ethics officials.
The conviction makes Burke the most senior member of the U.S. military ever found guilty of committing a federal crime while on active duty, delivering a significant blow to the Navy’s reputation. According to court documents, Burke leveraged his position to steer a $355,000 Navy contract to technology services firm Next Jump in 2021, while simultaneously negotiating with the company’s co-CEOs for a lucrative post-retirement job that would pay him $500,000 annually plus $100,000 in stock options.
The Corruption Scheme Unraveled
The case against Burke began to unfold after investigators discovered he had been working behind the scenes to secure contracts for Next Jump while still serving as a high-ranking naval officer. Next Jump had previously provided a workforce training pilot program to the Navy, but that contract was terminated in 2019. Burke’s criminal activities centered around his efforts to not only secure a new $355,000 contract for the company but also to position them for a much larger deal potentially worth “triple digit millions.”
“When you abuse your position and betray the public trust to line your own pockets, it undermines the confidence in the government you represent,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. “Our office, with our law enforcement partners, will root out corruption – be it bribes or illegal contracts – and hold accountable the perpetrators, no matter what title or rank they hold.”
Burke took deliberate steps to conceal the scheme, making false statements and omitting crucial information on government ethics disclosure forms. He falsely claimed that employment discussions with Next Jump only began after the contract was awarded, when in reality, he had been negotiating his future position with the company’s executives while still actively working to secure the contract. In October 2022, shortly after his retirement, Burke began working at Next Jump with the promised $500,000 salary and stock options.
Legal Fallout and Defense Claims
Next Jump co-CEOs Yongchul “Charlie” Kim and Meghan Messenger were arrested alongside Burke in May 2024 and face their own charges of bribery and conspiracy, with potential prison sentences of up to 20 years. Burke’s defense team, led by attorney Timothy Parlatore, attempted to argue that there was no connection between the contract and the job offer, a claim that the jury ultimately rejected after reviewing the evidence presented by prosecutors.
“There was no connection between this contract and his employment. The math just doesn’t make sense that he would give them this relatively small contract for that type of job offer,” said Burke’s defense attorney, Timothy Parlatore.
After the verdict, Parlatore claimed “this is a result of the fact that the jury did not get to hear the whole story” and criticized the investigation as poorly conducted and biased. Nevertheless, the prosecution, led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca G. Ross and Trial Attorneys Trevor Wilmot and Kathryn E. Fifield, presented sufficient evidence to convince the jury of Burke’s guilt on all counts. The investigation was a joint effort by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
Another Black Eye for Navy Leadership
This case represents yet another major scandal for the Navy, which has faced multiple high-profile corruption cases involving senior officers in recent years. Burke’s conviction is particularly damaging given his exceptional rank and influence within the military hierarchy. Before his retirement, Burke held various high-ranking positions including Chief of Naval Personnel and Vice Chief of Naval Operations, overseeing crucial aspects of Navy operations across Europe, Russia, and Africa from 2020 to 2022.
Burke now faces severe consequences for his actions, with the bribery and conspiracy charges alone carrying up to 20 years in prison. The additional charges of performing acts affecting a personal financial interest and concealing material facts could add substantial time to his sentence. The court has scheduled his sentencing for August 22, 2025, giving the former admiral plenty of time to contemplate how his greed destroyed a distinguished military career and betrayed the trust of the nation he once served.
