Contracting Officer Sentenced to Prison for Inducing Contractor to Hire Husband

Last March, we reported on a case where a former contracting official and her husband pleaded guilty to engaging in a nepotism scheme in which they conspired to fraudulently obtain employment from U.S. Government and private federal contractors with which the (former) GSA official had some form of official oversight (see Guy Just Can't Get a Decent Job - Even With Wife's Assistance).

Those two were just sentenced with the wife (the GSA contracting official) receiving an 18 month prison sentence and her husband a 12 month sentence (see Former GSA Official and Husband Sentenced for Nepotism Scheme). Another GSA co-conspirator who worked for the wife, received one year of probation for her role in the conspiracy.

The Department of Justice called this a "$200,000 scheme" but the whole matter seems a little bizarre. Not bizarre in the sense that the GSA official used her influence to induce a contractor to hire her husband for a job - that probably happens a lot - but bizarre in the sens that the husband submitted 139 applications for Federal Government employment that misrepresented his education and qualifications and certifications and couldn't get hired.

Even with resume embellishments, the guy couldn't get a Federal job after 139 tries. How is that even possible? We know of agencies that are desperate to fill open positions. With a masters degree and certifications in government contracting at Levels I, II, and III, one is almost guaranteed to land a job in federal contracting. What was it about this guy that 139 potential federal government employers took a pass on him?

Perhaps the guy was looking for a sinecure and he was the one turning down offers.