Frank Lyon owned and operated the engineering and consulting company headquartered in Hawaii and organized under its laws.
Master Halbert was a government official in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) Department of Transportation, Communications and Infrastructure who administered FSM’s aviation programs.
According to the DOJ, between 2006 and 2016, Lyon made improper payments to a Micronesian government official to obtain FSM government contracts valued at nearly $8 million. Lyon also allegedly made improper payments to a Hawaiian state official to receive a contract valued at $2.5 million.
The Micronesian government official was identified by the DOJ as Master Halbert, who allegedly received the bribes from Lyon and used his influence to direct the contracts to Lyon’s engineering company. Lyon allegedly paid Halbert with vehicles, gifts, and entertainment and hid the payments as “business development” and “marketing” expenses in his engineering company.
On January 22, 2019, Lyon pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the FCPA and paying a bribe to an agent of an organization receiving federal funds. Lyon was sentenced on May 14, 2019 to thirty months in prison and a $100 criminal fine.
On April 2, 2019, Halbert entered a plea agreement, under which he agreed to eighteen months in prison and a fine of $7,500. Judge Susan Mollway of the District of Hawaii delivered his sentence on July 30, 2019.