bdnews24.com :
A former FBI agent has admitted to taking bribes from a Bangladeshi national in exchange for confidential information about a probe into a politician of Bangladesh.
Robert Lustyik on Tuesday pleaded guilty to the charge for the bribe transaction before New York’s Southern District Court’s Judge Vincent L Briccetti, US Attorney Preet Bharara said.
In a statement, he said: “Lustyik betrayed our system of justice. He breached not only the law, but also his sworn oath, and the great trust and confidence placed in him by citizens and colleagues.”
Attorney Bharara’s spokesperson Jennifer Queliz told bdnews24.com that Lustyik had accepted all allegations-bribery, conspiracy to commit fraud, and theft of government information.
The court will decide his punishment on Apr 30, Queliz said adding that the crimes he committed were condemnable to 17 years in prison.
On Oct 17, Bangladeshi-born Rizve Ahmed, aka Caesar, 35, and his acquaintance Johannes Thaler, 51, pleaded guilty to offering bribe to Lustyik at the same court.
US Department of Justice, however, did not divulge for whose information the bribe transaction was taking place.
Caesar is the son Mohammad Ullah Mamun, central committee vice-president of BNP’s associate organisation Jatiyatabadi Samajik Sangskritik Sangstha (Jasas), living in Fairfield County of Connecticut in the USA. Caesar and Thaler were arrested in August in the bribery case.
Thaler was Lustyik’s childhood friend, and Caesar was Thaler’s acquaintance.
A former FBI agent has admitted to taking bribes from a Bangladeshi national in exchange for confidential information about a probe into a politician of Bangladesh.
Robert Lustyik on Tuesday pleaded guilty to the charge for the bribe transaction before New York’s Southern District Court’s Judge Vincent L Briccetti, US Attorney Preet Bharara said.
In a statement, he said: “Lustyik betrayed our system of justice. He breached not only the law, but also his sworn oath, and the great trust and confidence placed in him by citizens and colleagues.”
Attorney Bharara’s spokesperson Jennifer Queliz told bdnews24.com that Lustyik had accepted all allegations-bribery, conspiracy to commit fraud, and theft of government information.
The court will decide his punishment on Apr 30, Queliz said adding that the crimes he committed were condemnable to 17 years in prison.
On Oct 17, Bangladeshi-born Rizve Ahmed, aka Caesar, 35, and his acquaintance Johannes Thaler, 51, pleaded guilty to offering bribe to Lustyik at the same court.
US Department of Justice, however, did not divulge for whose information the bribe transaction was taking place.
Caesar is the son Mohammad Ullah Mamun, central committee vice-president of BNP’s associate organisation Jatiyatabadi Samajik Sangskritik Sangstha (Jasas), living in Fairfield County of Connecticut in the USA. Caesar and Thaler were arrested in August in the bribery case.
Thaler was Lustyik’s childhood friend, and Caesar was Thaler’s acquaintance.
