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A former U.S. Postal Service procurement official pleaded guilty Thursday to a conspiracy to steer packaging-supply contracts to favored companies in exchange for jobs and consulting work for a relative, the Justice Department said.
James E. Lee Sr. pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit bribery and honest-services wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 25, 2027, according to the DOJ announcement.
Confidential pricing and help with bids
Lee was a product management specialist overseeing expedited packaging supplies and served as a contracting officer representative on several manufacturing and supply contracts.
From approximately mid-2018 through late 2023, Lee and others agreed to steer the procurement process so contracts would be awarded to, or retained by, four companies, the department said, citing court documents. He reviewed draft technical proposals and disclosed confidential internal information about pricing and other issues, giving the companies a competitive advantage.
The department said Lee also performed official acts and influenced other officials during the procurement process.
Nearly $183,000 paid to a relative
Lee used a relative and the relative’s consulting company as an intermediary to pass information to the companies and conceal his efforts, according to the DOJ. In return, the companies hired the relative as an employee or consultant, resulting in payments totaling nearly $183,000.
That figure represents payments to the relative, not a stated direct payment to Lee. The department said some of the contracts were worth hundreds of millions of dollars; it did not identify that contract value as a loss to USPS.
The case concerns how the Postal Service bought packaging supplies, not a newly announced postage-rate change or delivery-service change. The DOJ release did not state a total financial loss to the Postal Service.
The relative and a former executive of one of the manufacturing companies have already pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. The USPS Office of Inspector General and the FBI’s Pittsburgh field office are investigating this case and related cases.
JBizNews Desk | Washington
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