BREAKING: Retired four-star Navy Admiral Robert P. Burke, aged 63, has been found guilty on federal charges including bribery, conspiracy to commit bribery, acts affecting a personal financial interest, and concealment of material facts.
The conviction stems from a scheme where Burke, while serving as a four-star admiral in 2021, awarded a $355,000 sole-source contract to a New York-based company, Next Jump, for workforce training in Italy and Spain. In exchange, he secured a post-retirement job with Next Jump starting in October 2022, with a $500,000 annual salary and 100,000 stock options.
Burke, who retired in August 2022 as commander of U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa, was the Navy’s former vice chief of naval operations (2019–2020) and chief of naval personnel (2016–2019). The bribery scheme involved Burke allegedly steering contracts to Next Jump’s co-CEOs, Yongchul “Charlie” Kim and Meghan Messenger, who were also charged.
Burke was accused of lying to the Navy about his role in the contract and the timing of employment discussions to conceal the scheme.
Burke faces up to 30 years in prison, though first-time offenders typically receive lighter penalties. This case marks him as the highest-ranking U.S. military officer convicted of a crime.
Station HYPO 
20 May 2025 at 21:08
This scumbag is convicted of breaking his Oath to our Constitution, our government, and our Navy on multiple occasions. Conviction erases the use of “alleged” above.
“First-time offender” doesn’t fit, either. He violated his trust and his Oath.
Is it unusual for U.S. Navy personnel, in today’s atmosphere, to violate their Oath? Consider the number implicated or charged in the Fat Leonard scandal (2006 – 2018) and the Command Master Chief and the Chief’s Mess aboard USS MANCHESTER (LCS 14) (2023), who conspired to violate Navy Regs and communications security in order to have their own private Starlink network.
Sadly, No.
Don White
CTIC(SS)
LikeLike
21 May 2025 at 20:32
Well said, CTIC.
LikeLike