Seven years ago, the Norfolk FBI office launched a free, confidential public corruption tip line, 1-844-FIGHT PC, to encourage citizens to report suspected corruption and provide an easy way to share their concerns.
Corrupt acts are acts done with the intent to provide an advantage inconsistent with official duty and the rights of others. Public corruption, specifically, involves a breach of public trust or the abuse of a position by federal, state or local officials and their private-sector accomplices. Government or other trusted officials who use their position to obtain personal gain through means of bribes, deals and complex schemes commit serious crimes that erode trust in government institutions and damage policy integrity and public-sector outcomes. This month we are offering the public another safe, confidential way to submit public corruption tips: a new email address, NorfolkCorruption@Fbi.Gov. We are constantly working to make it easier for the public to report corruption and encourage citizens to call the tip line if they have information or suspicions about corrupt activity.
We work closely with a variety of law enforcement agencies and inspectors general to identify and combat corruption, but our most important partner in the ongoing fight against corruption is the public. It takes a lot of courage to pick up the phone and call the FBI, but the information is critical to our work, and we are grateful to those who have come forward.
Public corruption cases are among the highest priorities of the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of Virginia and we have agents and prosecutors at each of our offices dedicated to these investigations. It is an FBI commitment as old as the bureau itself and a mission for which we are uniquely suited. We have the expertise and ability to perform complex investigations, and even more than that, we are independent from local government.
Corruption is difficult to detect and hard to prove. However, in the past seven years, our offices have leveraged the community input to hold accountable a range of offenders. In 2016, Anthony L. Burfoot, a Norfolk city treasurer, vice mayor and city councilman, was found guilty of corruption and sentenced to six years in federal prison. In 2020, an investigation into a corrupt police detective, Deangelo Freeman, led to a federal sentence of six years for his involvement in a cocaine distribution conspiracy. Most recently, in February, Gerard Boyle, a former CEO, was sentenced to three years in federal prison for his role in bribing former Norfolk Sheriff Robert McCabe.
This is the kind of accountability our agencies can levy against criminals if given the right information from the public. Fortunately, criminal corruption is an exception rather than the rule in American government. However, that is due, at least in part, to strong laws and diligent enforcement. Intolerance by the American people is the key to fighting corruption and many of our investigations start with a tip from concerned citizens.
Another area of significant concern in the region is fraud related to federal government procurement, contracting and federally funded programs. In these cases, we have seen government employees, contractors and program administrators embezzle money, misappropriate government property, and demand payments or gifts to exercise favorable influence. Individuals who do participate can and have also been held accountable, such as in the 2017 federal sentencings of Philip A. Mearing, a contractor who defrauded the government of $15 million, and William R. Hutsenpiller, a former comptroller who accepted more than $35,000 in gratuities in exchange for improperly directing contracts and funds.
Public officials are expected to serve their constituents honestly. Greed and self-interest have no place in public service, and, as shown by our record of investigations and prosecutions, criminal corruption will be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted.
We look forward to continuing our partnership with the Hampton Roads community to bring justice to those who violate the public’s trust. Call the Norfolk FBI office at 1-844-FIGHTPC or email us at NorfolkCorruption.FBI.Gov to report suspicious activity.
Brian C. Dugan is special agent in charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office. Jessica D. Aber is the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.
