Thursday, March 18, 2010

Broward County School Board Member Pleads Guilty to Bribery

March 18, 2010 - Jeffrey H. Sloman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and John V. Gillies, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, announce that Beverly Gallagher, 51, of Pembroke Pines, pled guilty to a charge of bribery in programs receiving federal funds. Sentencing has been scheduled for June 2, 2010 before U.S. District Court Judge James I. Cohn.

Today’s plea revolves around Gallagher’s acceptance of $9,000 in exchange for her promise to assist undercover FBI agents in connection with the issuance of a contract and subcontract work for the reconstruction and renovation of Hollywood Hills High School.

According to court documents and statements made in court today, Gallagher, who was first elected to the Broward County School Board in 2000 and re-elected in 2004 and 2008, met on numerous occasions with FBI agents acting in an undercover capacity. Two of the agents held themselves out to be asset managers who purportedly represented contractors seeking to obtain construction contracts with local government entities, including the Broward County School Board.

At today’s hearing, Gallagher admitted, among other things, that on December 23, 2008, she accepted $3,000 cash from the undercover agent for “hooking up” the undercover’s construction company client for subcontracting work. Gallagher further admitted that on June 3, 2009, she accepted $6,000 cash for her efforts to obtain subcontracting work on the Hollywood Hills project on behalf of that construction company client.

U.S. Attorney Jeffrey H. Sloman commended the investigative efforts of the FBI and the Internal Revenue Service in connection with the investigation and prosecution of this matter. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey N. Kaplan and Neil Karadbil.

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