| For Immediate Release Case # 06CF0465
October 31, 2008 |
Susan Kang Schroeder Public Affairs Counsel Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 Farrah Emami |
FORMER ORANGE COUNTY CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER FACES TRIAL FOR RECEIVING $5,000 BRIBE TO INFLUENCE COUNTY WORK CONTRACTS
WESTMINSTER – A former Chief Technology Officer for Orange County faces trial tomorrow for soliciting and accepting a $5,000 bribe to use his position of authority to influence work contracts for the County. Reza Khayyami, 49, Mission Viejo, is charged with one felony count of being an officer asking for and receiving a bribe. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of four years in state prison. Opening statements are expected to begin Monday, Nov. 3, 2008, at 9:00 a.m. in Department W-9, West Justice Center, Westminster.
In March 2003, Khayyami was hired as the Chief Technology Officer for Orange County. In the spring of that year, the defendant met Allen Fahami, who was Owner and President of Intratek. Intratek had provided computer systems support to multiple County agencies since 1991 through contracts amounting to approximately $10 million.
In the summer of 2004, Fahami asked Khayyami why Intratek’s contracts with the County were being substantially reduced. The defendant, whose job gave him influence over Orange County technological contracts, is accused of telling Fahami that he wanted the victim to pay him 2 percent of all new County contracts in exchange for assisting him in getting additional work. Fahami declined.
In November 2004, Fahami spoke to the defendant on the phone and asked again how to resolve the issue of a decreased number of County contracts. Khayyami is accused of asking the victim to pay him $5,000. The victim ignored the suggestion, but Khayyami is accused of persisting and Fahami eventually agreed for fear that Khayyami could further hurt his business if he did not cooperate.
Khayyami is accused of providing the victim with a false name, social security number, and address to cover up the financial trail. Fahami told the defendant that he needed legitimate personal information so that Intratek could submit the appropriate tax forms. Khayyami is accused of then providing the victim with a different name and personal information, which was still not his own.
In December 2004, the $5,000 check to Khayyami was deposited and he is accused of creating a fake work invoice for Fahami to account for the payment. Fahami did not receive additional business as a result of the $5,000 payment and the money was never returned to him.
In April 2005, Fahami told an employee about paying the $5,000 to Khayyami. The employee, a former Orange County Sheriff’s deputy, reported the incident to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. For unrelated reasons, the defendant was no longer a County employee at the time.