A former contracting officer has pleaded guilty to a decade-long bribery scheme involving more than $500 million in federal contracts in a glaring example of entrenched corruption at the now-dismantled U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID),
Roderick Watson, a veteran USAID employee from Woodstock, Maryland, admitted to accepting over $1 million in bribes to steer lucrative government contracts to associates through a federal program designed to support disadvantaged minority and women-owned businesses.
The fraud exploited “set-asides and solo-source” contracts that bypass competitive bidding to aid socially and economically disadvantaged entrepreneurs.
Prosecutors revealed Watson directed 14 prime contracts to his friends: Walter Barnes, Darryl Britt, and Paul Young. All four men involved are minorities, which raises troubling questions about oversight and accountability in such federal programs.
Barnes, a certified SBA minority business owner, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery and securities fraud.
Britt and Young each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery of a public official. Their businesses gained federal contracts while taxpayers lost millions to corruption.
Despite the magnitude of the case, national media outlets have largely ignored the story, in contrast to their widespread criticism of President Trump’s move to dismantle USAID. Only a few Maryland-based news agencies have reported on the scandal.
The case not only highlights vulnerabilities in federal contracting programs but also underscores long-standing concerns about corruption at USAID—concerns that critics say validate the Trump administration’s controversial decision to shutter the agency.
Author: Bashir Juma
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