A former US air force master sergeant who nicknamed himself “Al Capone” has pleaded guilty to defrauding the military branch out of $37m by inflating the cost of IT contracts – and giving some of the extra money to an individual he called “Godfather”. James, 51, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, bribery and conspiracy to rig bids for the US Pacific air forces based in Hawaii. “Bid-rigging and anti-competitive behavior in government contracts erodes trust in our institutions, harms taxpayers, and will not be tolerated. A ledger obtained by the justice department showed payments made to one individual referred to as “Godfather”, calling to mind the fictional mob movie series. “As part of their stay at the resort, co-conspirator individuals took part in golf outings, horseback rides and received massages,” the justice department said.

Source: The Guardian April 04, 2026 15:03 UTC