Three Individuals Charged in Bribery Scheme

 RICHMOND, Va. –Three individuals made their initial appearances in federal court this afternoon on charges of participating in a bribery scheme.

According to the indictment, Susan May Keim, 52, and Russell John Keim, Sr., 59, of Hopewell, allegedly accepted bribes from Rodney Gale Wilson, 65, of Imperial, Missouri, in return for Susan Keim’s award of federal subcontracts to Wilson’s company, C&L Supply.

According to the indictment, Susan Keim worked for Skookum Educational Services, a company that contracted with the federal government to provide maintenance and supply services at Fort Lee.  Rodney Wilson was the owner of C&L Supply, a company formed for the sole purpose of selling supplies for Skookum for use at Fort Lee. From 2013 to 2018, in return for the award of the subcontracts valued at least $912,765.89 and the supply of confidential information, Wilson allegedly provided various things of value, totaling at least $92,039.79, to Susan and her spouse, Russell Keim, including: (1) checks and cash payments to Russell Keim disguised as compensation to Russell Keim for work performed for C&L Supply, when, in fact, Russell Keim never worked for that company; and (2) payments for work done on a property owned by Susan and Russell Keim.

All three individuals are charged with conspiracy and payment, and receipt of bribes. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The defendants will be arraigned before U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr. on August 16.

Raj Parekh, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Kenneth A. Polite Jr., Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; L. Scott Moreland, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command’s Major Procurement Fraud Unit’s (MPFU) Mid-Atlantic Fraud Field Office; and Chris Dillard, Special Agent in Charge for Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s (DCIS) Mid-Atlantic Field Office, made the announcement.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael C. Moore of the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Rebecca M. Schuman of the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section are prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-083.

An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.