ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — The former chief information technology officer for a New York government agency has pleaded guilty to a contract kickback scheme that predated his state employment.
Federal prosecutors say between January 2011 and April 2013, Mark Berger took $985,000 in cash bribes from two New Jersey IT firms in exchange for contracts with a Texas-based financial services company where he was CIO. The money was delivered to Berger’s home in Roslyn on Long Island.
The 58-year-old Berger was hired in October 2013 as chief IT officer at the state Department of Financial Services. He was fired from his $157,000-a-year job in August 2016.
Berger pleaded guilty to conspiracy on July 5 in federal court in Trenton. He faces five years in prison and a $250,000 fine when he’s sentenced Oct. 10.
