A former Indian-American CEO of an IT company in Detroit has been indicted for his alleged role in orchestrating a scheme to bribe a city official to obtain “preferential treatment” for his company, according to the US Department of Justice. Parimal D Mehta, 54, the ex-chief executive officer of FutureNet Group Inc. made multiple cash payments to Charles Dodd, former Director of Detroit’s Office of Departmental Technology Services between 2009 to 2016, according to the 11- count indictment filed in the Eastern District of Michigan.
This included two cash bribes hand-delivered by Mehta to Dodd in the restrooms of Detroit-area restaurants in 2016, the Department of Justice alleged Wednesday. FutureNet received approximately USD 7.5 million from Detroit in 2015 and 2016, a Justice Department press release said. Mehta is also alleged to have employed Dodd’s family members at FutureNet and its subsidiaries. Dodd previously pleaded guilty to bribery on September 27, 2016.
The indictment alleges that Mehta paid these bribes to Dodd in exchange for “preferential treatment” for his company. According to the indictment, Mehta and FutureNet benefited from Dodd’s influence over the administration of city contracts, expenditures under those contracts, and the hiring and selection of contract personnel. Mehta obtained confidential information about Detroit’s internal budgets for specific technology projects, the indictment alleges.
