GPO Investigation Nets Print Broker
WASHINGTON, DC—An Illinois commercial print broker pleaded guilty to making false statements in a bid submitted to the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO), the Department of Justice announced. This case is the first to arise in an ongoing investigation of bids to the GPO, and is being conducted by the Antitrust Division's National Criminal Enforcement Section and by the GPO's Office of Inspector General.
Richard Keefe, of Rock Falls, IL, pleaded guilty to a one-count felony charge filed last Nov. 4 in U.S. District Court in Chicago. He was charged with making false statements, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for individuals.
The maximum fine may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims if either of those amounts is greater than the statutory maximum fine.
According to the court document, Keefe submitted a bid to the GPO back around January of 2008 in the name of a company that had not given Keefe such authority to do so. He also certified that the bid was not made with an understanding that a brokerage fee would be paid, when in fact it was.
In order to save Uncle Sam money on his printing bill, the Government Printing Office procures most printing services through competitive bidding, and attempts to limit the payment of commissions and brokerage fees in connection with print solicitations as much as possible. The department said that the GPO issued the bid on behalf of the Internal Revenue Service of the Department of the Treasury.