James, 51, of Texas, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, bribery, and conspiracy to rig bids. The scheme ran from at least April 2016 until about April 2025, involving IT contracts serving U.S. Air Force installations across the Pacific.
According to a plea agreement and information filed in the U.S. District Court in Honolulu, Hawaii, James and his coconspirators falsely inflated contract costs. They agreed to use the excess funds to enrich James, his family members, the family of an Air Force civilian employee, and other co-conspirators.
The conspirators also diverted government funds to pay for an all-expenses-paid multi-day stay at a luxury resort on the North Shore of Oahu in 2023.
From at least May 2019 until about October 2022, James directed co-conspirators on the amounts they should bid to circumvent the competitive bidding process. These co-conspirators were supposed to be competing against one another to win government contracts.
James agreed to pay over $1.4 million in restitution to the U.S. Department of War. Specifically, he agreed to pay a restitution of at least $1,451,656.80.
The maximum penalty for conspiracy to rig bids in violation of the Sherman Act for an individual is 10 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Fines may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims.
The Antitrust Division’s San Francisco Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii are prosecuting the case. It was investigated with the assistance of DOD-OIG-DCIS, AFOSI, and GSA-OIG.