So was the headline in the Fayetteville Observer’s Military section last week. While the details of the story have been a well kept industry secret for years, it is refreshing to see that the Government has finally taken action.
Former medical plans specialist with USASOC’s Command Surgeon Office Joseph J. Marak was charged with 35 counts in late September, including one count of extortion and 17 counts each of bribery as well as receiving a gratuity from a company doing business with a government entity while being an official of said entity.
The Government alleges he made about $700,000 from his activities associated with the CASEVAC program. The Government’s indictment alleges that Marak steered business toward two companies and then demanded compensation. It is further alleged that he received $13,00 in traveler’s checks while still in Government service. The indictment then alleges that he was paid $350,000 for consulting work between July and December 2006 by Skedco after he left Government service.
S.O.Tech, which is an advertiser on SSD has sued both Marak and Skedco in a civil law suit which is now on hold due to the Federal criminal case. The civil suit was first filed in 2007 in Oregon and alleges that Marak provided S.O.Tech’s company secrets to Skedco and bilked S.O.Tech out of patent rights by convincing them to their patented designs over to Skedco in a joint venture scheme.
Tags: S.O.Tech