KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Federal prosecutors allege that for years, a Kansas man accepted bribes from a Missouri man in exchange for helping him secure subcontracts involving the production of nuclear weapon technology.
Michael Clinesmith, of Kansas, and Richard Mueller, of Missouri, were charged in the alleged scheme on Thursday.
The alleged crimes happened from at least 2011 until January 2021, according to court documents.
During this time, Clinesmith had been working as an engineer for a company that operated the National Nuclear Security Administration’s Kansas City National Security Campus (KCNSC).
Clinesmith was in charge of designing gauges, a technology used to measure components of nuclear weapons.
At the same time, Mueller ran the gauge department of a machining and tooling shop located in St. Louis, Missouri. Mueller’s company was a subcontractor of Clinesmith’s company.
The feds accuse of Clinesmith of helping Mueller secure contracts for his company to perform work for Clinesmith’s employer.
Clinesmith would tell Mueller how much to bid on jobs. Clinesmith would then convince his employer the bids were fair and reasonable.
In exchange, Mueller paid Clinesmith over $1 million in bribes, prosecutors alleged.
When confronted by the feds, they allege Clinesmith lied to them on the number of contracts impacted by his finessing behavior.
The pair are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and honest services wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud and honest services wire fraud.
In addition, Mueller is also charged with one count of making false statements to federal agents.
The pair each face 20 years in prison if convicted, in addition to fives years in prison Mueller faces for lying to the feds.
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