Roslyn Man Pleads Guilty To Accepting $1M In Bribes

A Rosyln man pleaded guilty to charges in connection to accepting up to $1 million in bribes to help secure contracts between a financial services company he works for and two other businesses, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office Of New Jersey.

Mark Berger, 58, a chief information officer of a Texas-based financial services company called SWBC, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the Federal Travel Act. He also forfeited $985,000 as part of his guilty plea.

According to officials, Berger entered contracts between SWBC and two New Jersey-based companies, including DaVinci Technology Corp., for information technology and staffing services from January 2011 to March 2013.

Berger, as a condition of the contracts, demanded that the owner of the IT companies, 53-year-old Anthony Curlo of Chester, New Jersey, pay him illegal kickbacks, officials say.

The IT companies received approximately $3 million in revenue from SWBC. Through the terms of the illegal agreement, Berger received $985,000 in cash payments, which were delivered to his home, from Curlo, officials say. He was supposed to received $1.4 million, officials say.

Berger faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Sentencing is set for October 10.

Curlo previously pleaded guilty to his role in the scheme on Sept. 21, 2016 and awaits sentencing.

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