Three Top Corporate Executives Convicted by Federal Jury in Conspiracy to Bribe Dekalb County and Georgia World Congress Center Public Official

ATLANTA - Anthony Lepore, John Rife, and Brian Domalik, the former President, Regional Vice President, and Division Manager for Rite Way Service, Inc., were convicted by a federal jury yesterday on conspiracy, bribery and honest services fraud charges after a nearly two-week jury trial.  The charges were brought in connection with a multi-year scheme to bribe a public official who was employed with DeKalb County government and the Georgia World Congress Center Authority.

“This case highlights how public corruption offenses harm our communities —you have greedy company executives who seek an unfair advantage over their competitors, and a crooked public official who is willing to sell their power for personal gain,” said U.S. Attorney John Horn.  “The victims are spread throughout the community, from the citizens who often end up paying more for government services provided by the corrupt company and suffer the loss of honest government, as well as other companies that try to make their living ethically.  The people of DeKalb County and the State of Georgia deserved better.”

“This case and the resulting convictions of these three corporate executives not only illustrates the problems regarding public corruption, but also law enforcement’s very focused and deliberate efforts in addressing it.  The FBI, along with its law enforcement partners and federal prosecutors, will not tolerate those who interfere with or unduly influence the established and proper procedures of our public officials and the offices that they represent.  We ask anyone with information regarding public corruption matters to immediately contact their nearest FBI field office,” said George Crouch, Acting Special Agent in Charge, FBI Atlanta Field Office.

According to U.S. Attorney Horn, the charges and other information presented in court:  Lepore was the President and CEO of Rite Way Service, Inc., an Alabama-based company that sought to do business with both DeKalb County and the Georgia World Congress Center Authority (GWCCA), a state government entity that manages the Georgia World Congress Center, the Georgia Dome, Atlanta’s Centennial Olympic Park, and other properties.  Rife was the Rite Way Regional Vice President who oversaw the company’s Georgia Division, based in Norcross, Georgia.  Domalik was the Division Manager in charge of Rite Way’s Georgia Division between 2010 and 2014. 

Beginning in the summer of 2005, Lepore, Rife, and Domalik’s predecessor as Division Manager of Rite Way’s Georgia Division, Cecil Clark, conspired to bribe Patrick Jackson, a public official who was simultaneously working full time as a contracting official for DeKalb County and the GWCCA, in connection with janitorial services contracts with those government entities.  The government contracts were worth millions of dollars.  The bribes amounted to over $100,000 in payments for Jackson’s rent, utilities, and a garage lease for a luxury apartment over a 6-year period in downtown Atlanta, as well as cash payments, over $24,000 in furniture for the apartment, a $5,100 deposit for event space for a party that that Jackson threw at the Waverly Renaissance Hotel, and other benefits.  Domalik joined the conspiracy in late 2010, when Clark resigned from Rite Way, and continued the scheme with Lepore and Rife through 2012.

In exchange for the payments and other benefits from Rite Way, Jackson used his official position as a public official to help Rite Way win, maintain and increase profits from multi-year janitorial services contracts with DeKalb County and the GWCCA worth millions of dollars.

Jackson, 55, of Loganville, Georgia, was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 9, 2014 on one count of conspiracy to commit honest services fraud, and nine counts of honest services fraud.  Jackson pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy, and on August 12, 2015, he was sentenced to four years, three months in federal prison, ordered to pay restitution to DeKalb County and GWCCA, and fined $20,000.

Clark, 55, of Jonesboro, Georgia, agreed to waive indictment and pleaded guilty to a Criminal Information charging him with conspiracy to commit bribery on May 26, 2015.  Clark was sentenced on September 30, 2015 to serve one year, five months in federal prison, ordered to pay restitution to DeKalb County and GWCCA, and fined $20,000.

Lepore, 64, of Birmingham, Alabama, Rife, 66, of Cumming, Georgia, and Domalik 49, of Kennesaw, Georgia, were each convicted on one count of conspiracy, ten counts of honest services fraud, and five counts of bribery. 

A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.

This case is being investigated by Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Valuable assistance was also provided by Special Agents of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

Assistant United States Attorneys Kamal Ghali and David M. Chaiken are prosecuting the case.  Former Assistant United States Attorney Jamie L. Mickelson previously prosecuted the case.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016.  The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.