| For Immediate Release Case # 06CF0465
February 20, 2009 |
Susan Kang Schroeder Public Affairs Counsel Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 Farrah Emami |
FORMER ORANGE COUNTY CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER SENTENCED FOR RECEIVING $5,000 BRIBE TO INFLUENCE COUNTY WORK CONTRACTS
WESTMINSTER – A former Chief Technology Officer was sentenced today for soliciting and accepting a $5,000 bribe and using his position of authority to influence work contracts for the County. Reza Khayyami, 50, Mission Viejo, was convicted by a jury on one felony count of being an officer asking for and receiving a bribe on Nov, 6, 2008. Khayyami was sentenced to 180 days in jail and three years of formal probation.
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 told Fahami that he wanted to be paid two 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 asked Fahami to pay him $5,000. Khayyami persisted and Fahami eventually agreed for fear that Khayyami could further hurt his business if he did not cooperate.
Khayyami provided Fahami 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 then provided Fahami with a false name and personal information.
In December 2004, the $5,000 check to Khayyami was deposited. Khayyami then created 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, but 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.
Deputy District Attorney Andre Manssourian of the Special Prosecutions Unit prosecuted this case.