March 9, 09

NEWS / ormer U.S. Tax Court Official Sentenced for Engaging in a Conspiracy to Commit Bribery

WASHINGTON – A former official of the U.S. Tax Court was sentenced today in connection with a bribery conspiracy involving contracts at the U.S. Tax Court in the District of Columbia, Acting Assistant Attorney General Rita M. Glavin of the Criminal Division announced.

Fred Fernando Timbol Jr., 43, of Mount Airy, Md., was sentenced by Judge Ricardo M. Urbina of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to 18 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Timbol pleaded guilty on Aug. 14, 2008, to one count of conspiracy. As part of the plea agreement and by order of the court, Timbol also agreed to pay restitution in the amount of $24,142.99.

According to court documents, Timbol was a facilities services officer in the Facilities Management Section of the U.S. Tax Court. In that position, Timbol was responsible for assisting in the award of contracts to contractors who provided maintenance, construction and other related services to the U.S. Tax Court. Between July 2005 and April 2006, Timbol admitted he solicited and personally accepted at least $12,471 from a government contractor in exchange for rigging the award of at least six inflated contracts at the U.S. Tax Court.

The case was prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Daniel A. Petalas, Richard B. Evans and Peter M. Koski of the Public Integrity Section, headed by Section Chief William M. Welch II. The case was investigated jointly by the General Services Administration Office of the Inspector General and the FBI.

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