WASHINGTON — A former senior manager for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) pleaded guilty Thursday for his part in a scheme that could cause him to spend years in prison.
According to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, 61-year-old Scottie Borders worked as a Senior Program Manager for WMATA. Part of his job involved selecting, awarding and administering WMATA contracts with vendors, contractors and suppliers.
The Attorney's Office says from Jan. 2011 through Sept. 2020, Borders and others colluded to "enrich themselves" by making sure contracts, bids and purchasing agreements went to a company in Millville, New Jersey. The company, only identified as "Company 1" produces and supplies traffic signs and safety products.
Borders was the primary contact for all business conducted between WMATA and the Millville company. Prosecutors claim he abused his position at WMATA to manipulate bids for items in favor of Company 1 by using fake representations made to WMATA.
In one instance, Border and his co-conspirators allegedly falsified price quotes and bids on behalf of companies that either did not submit bids to do business with WMATA or did not know their information was being used in connection to specific bids. Borders would then also share information with Company 1 about potential competitors' bids.
WMATA would ultimately pay Company 1 for invoices and orders secured and submitted through Borders. The former senior manager also obtained purchase orders on behalf of the agency, for equipment from the company that Borders knew was unnecessary, substandard, and/or never actually provided to WMATA.
The U.S. Attorney's Office estimates WMATA paid Company 1 more than $1.3 million for various services and items, including poles, decals, bus stop signs, flags, and tools. In exchange for facilitating the fake bids and orders on behalf of WMATA, Borders was gifted things, including NFL tickets, by people at Company 1.
Borders faces a likely range of 33 to 41 months in prison, a fine of up to $150,000 and restitution.
When officers arrived they found the two victims, only identified as a man and a woman, injured on the red line platform.