Former USPS worker faces new charges for accepting bribes in trucking contract scheme

A former U.S. Postal Service (USPS) worker was indicted by a federal grand jury this week in connection with a bribery scheme involving USPS trucking contracts.

On February 4, Josef Ratcliff, 60, of Akron, Ohio, was charged with the following:

• Conspiracy to Commit Honest Services Mail and Wire Fraud
• Conspiracy to Commit Extortion Under Color of Official Right
• Honest Services Mail and Wire Fraud
• Extortion Under Color of Official Right
• Receipt of Bribes by Federal Official
• Concealment Money Laundering

Ratcliff had previously been charged with receiving bribes.

Authorities say that while Ratcliff was employed as a purchasing and supply management specialist with USPS, he was in charge of soliciting, receiving, and reviewing bids from contractors, focusing on logistics services for transporting the mail.

As part of the scheme, Ratcliff reportedly provided specific bid information, including the amounts of the lowest and second-lowest bids. Ratcliff provided recommendations to USPS on which companies would be awarded contracts, which could be worth more than $10 million.

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio:

“Ratcliff conspired to provide confidential competing bid numbers, and other favorable treatment, to companies from across the country including Spokane, Washington; Las Vegas, Nevada; Raeford, North Carolina; Bronx, New York; and Middletown, New York. Some of these entities were not previously in the trucking or logistics business before connecting with the defendant. Examples include one that was a chemical company, and another that provided cellphone related services. Another company was only formed after the owner connected with Ratcliff. Nonetheless, these businesses were awarded USPS trucking contracts. In return for his guidance, Ratcliff’s co-conspirators regularly paid him bribes worth thousands of dollars in the form of checks, electronic money transfers, and cash.“

Also as part of the scheme, authorities say Ratcliff would help co-conspirators get extensions on bids so that he could provide them with more information on competitor bids.

“On calls, he discussed how a co-conspirator should obtain such an extension, including how the co-conspirator should first reach out to the contracting officer alone, who would then bring Ratcliff in, making it appear that the extension request process started with the contracting officer and not the defendant. Later in the scheme, he warned that he would soon be losing access to some of the contract information, saying, “what we doin’, this s–t is about to dry the f–k up” because the co-conspirator “won’t be able to get no information from me on” those contracts,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

Officials say that the electronic payment transfers from the logistics and trucking companies to Ratcliff were disguised with note descriptions that included:

• “Car oil leak”
• “Birthday present for big boy”
• “Pop rocks for little daddy”
• “Happy birthday”
• “Rent”

See below for co-conspirators who have been charged and pleaded guilty in connection with this scheme:

• William Michael Clark, 50, of Las Vegas, Nevada
• Zoma M. Shaikh, 43, of Bronx, New Yor
• Vakar Maniar, 70, of Raeford, North Carolina
• Jilani Ahad, 66, of Bronx, New York
• Rafeh Ahad, 26, of Fort Myers, Florida
• Eric Asante Wiredu, 57, of Middleton, New York

This investigation was conducted by the USPS, Office of the Inspector General.