Criminal Conflict of Interest Pleas Announced by the Department of Justice

Recent Department of Justice press releases announced that two former Government employees pled guilty to criminal conflict of interest charges.  Eric G. Andell, former Deputy Undersecretary for Safe and Drug Free Schools with the Department of Education pled guilty to a criminal conflict of interest charge in violation of 18 U.S.C. Sections 208 and 216.  While in his Government position, "Andell approved official travel for himself on approximately fourteen occasions to New York, New York . . . " and other cities, and conducted some personal business on each of his trips and obtained reimbursement for certain personal expenses.  In addition, Andell was paid his salary for sick leave requested on days when he was working as a visiting judge.

In the other case, Patricia Raikes, a former State Department employee and former Chief Consular Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, pled guilty to one count information charging her with a criminal conflict of interest violation of 18 U.S.C. Sections 209 and 216.  While serving as Chief Consular Officer, Raikes received thousands of dollars of airline travel and hotel stays from foreign businesspeople, and Raikes then approved more than 35 visa applications submitted by or referred by the same foreign businesspeople.