Government Employee Guilty of Accepting Gratuities in Exchange for Official Acts

NASA's Wallops Flight Facility (WFF) is located on the Eastern shore of Virginia although to get there from Virginia proper, you would need to take a boat or drive through Deleware. WFF provides launch and range services for both the Government and commercial sectors.

Mr. Kremer was the Chief of the Range and Mission Management Office at NASA Wallops (a GS-15 position). In his position, Kremer was responsible for administering the Range Operations Contract (ROC) - a multi-year, $190 million, cost-plus Government contract to provide various services at Wallops' test facilities and launch control centers. The prime ROC contractor awarded numerous subcontracts. One of the subcontractors performed interior design and office furnishing services and equipment at WFF.  The subcontractor (identified as Firm #2 in court documents. One of Firm #2's employees, identified as 'SC" in court documents, was the primary point of contact between Firm #2 and Mr. Kremer. "SC" also owned a beach house in Cape Charles, VA that he made available for Kremer's use.

One week for eight consecutive summers, Kremer was allowed free use of SC's beach house. In exchange, Kremer steered the award of interior design and furnishing projects to SC and Firm #2. Ultimately, emails between Kremer and SC did them in. During one stay, Kremer emailed SC: "... after this week, I'm going to be searching for rooms even those that no one uses at Wallops and put new furniture in the. I owe u big time. This has been so super." After another week's free use, Kremer wrote: "Can I book a week like last year? I will give you some days this week if that is OK ... THANK YOU so much again. Your customer service is unmatched ... not to mention the summer fun you offer. LOL.."

The Justice Department estimated the value of these week long stays to be about $18 thousand. In addition, the Government's investigation also disclosed that Kramer asked SC to procure some personalized art and charge it to the contract. Together they conspired to call it a "whiteboard" with SC claiming that it was not her "first time at the rodeo". Investigators also found that Kremer instructed the ROC contractor to buy $7,000 in Amazon gift cards, ostensibly to use to purchase "electronic reference books" for WFF employees. Those gift cards however were used for Kremer's personal use.There were more irregularities uncovered in the investigation including $11 thousand in "promotional" items for Kremer's friends and family members.

Mr. Kremer plead guilty in Federal court to receiving gratuities in exchange for official acts performed in his capacity as a government official, and to stealing funds from a Government contract. Sentencing is scheduled for next March.