Dont ComplyFormer Army Official Pleads Guilty in Hawaii Defense Contract Bribery and Fraud Scheme
Carlos Duque, a former civilian U.S. Army official, pleaded guilty to conspiracy, bribery and major fraud tied to Army contracts in Hawaii, according to the Justice Department.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, former civilian Army official Carlos Duque pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Honolulu to conspiracy, bribery and major fraud involving an Army technology innovation lab in the Pacific. The department says that from January 2021 to October 2022 Duque conspired with contractors Brian Kent and Leonard Pick to accept a bribe of about $1.25 million over five years. In return, it says, Duque told prime contractors to award subcontracts to Kent and Pick's company and helped inflate costs to include the bribes. Duque received about $55,000, and the Army paid over $3 million to the company, the department says. He agreed to forfeit $55,166.70. Kent and Pick were indicted in May 2026 and are presumed innocent; trial is set for May 17, 2027.
Why it matters
The case involves allegations that a public official steered defense subcontracts for personal gain, undermining competition in federal procurement and costing taxpayers money. Sentencing and the trial of the two charged contractors are still to come.
Researched with AI assistance from the sources listed here and reviewed under our methodology.