Opinion ID: 3038059
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: Because we write primarily for the benefit of the parties, we set forth only those facts pertinent to the issues before us. Rzeplinski worked as a Government Services Agency (“GSA”) Program Director at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, and was responsible for procuring and administering IT-related contracts for Fort Monmouth. Connie, with whom Rzeplinski was having an affair, also worked for GSA as an office manager and lead customer relations manager in Fort Monmouth’s Federal Technology Service. Her 1 For clarity and ease of reference, we use the first names of the Davidsons. 2 responsibilities included assisting in administering contracts. Through Rzeplinski, and with Connie’s knowledge, Connie’s daughter Kristen obtained jobs from two contractors that provided services to Fort Monmouth. Using the leverage of his authority at GSA, Rzeplinski told the contractors to hire Kristen, and they did so, though Kristen never actually did any work. Fort Monmouth was billed for the work that Kristen never performed. Rzeplinski and Connie knew that Kristen was not working but was getting paid with government funds, yet Rzeplinski continued to authorize the invoices. Rzeplinski actively covered up the “no show” aspect of Kristen’s job by assuring one of the contractors that Kristen was working and by providing false information about the hours she supposedly worked. Rzeplinski also arranged for a company that he owned to be hired as a subcontractor by a GSA contractor. The contractor paid Rzeplinski’s company, even though the company performed no work. The contractor then billed Fort Monmouth for the phantom work. In total, the Army paid $862,710 for work that Rzeplinski’s company and Kristen never performed. Meanwhile, Rzeplinski, who was divorcing his wife and attempting to evade disclosure of his true income in order to avoid paying additional alimony, failed to file income tax returns for 2002, 2003, and 2004, and avoided paying $47,081 in taxes. 3 All three defendants were convicted pursuant to plea agreements with the government.2