Over eight years from 2014 to 2022, Dolphin influenced which companies were awarded lucrative United Airlines' contracts. Between 2014 and 2017, Dolphin was an Airport Operations Hub Vendor Manager, and from 2017 to 2022, he was the Manager of Hub Business Partners.
Two other defendants, James Wajda of Cement City, Michigan, and Ronald Delucia of Wayne, New Jersey, also pleaded guilty to their roles in the corruption conspiracy. These were senior employees of companies that conspired with Dolphin and received contracts for work at Newark Liberty International. The $1.6 million Dolphin admitted to receiving consisted of:
- Up to $31,500 per month totaling $1 million in exchange for securing work
for a company providing aviation services at Newark.
- Approximately $70,000 for helping a company win a United busing contract.
- Approximately $278,000 in exchange for his influence in awarding a snow
removal contract.
- Approximately $262,000 in exchange for his influence in awarding an aircraft
cleaning contract.
In a separate scheme, Delucia conspired with Wajda, the COO of a Des Plaines, Illinois-based company that provided cabin cleaning services to United Airlines and loaded food and other items onto planes. They drew up fraudulent invoices to make it appear as if Wajda's company subcontracted with Delucia's firm to dispatch trucks that loaded supplies onto planes although no services were ever rendered.
Delucia then kicked back a portion of the fraudulently obtained money to Wajda through his personal limited liability company. Delucia's company invoiced Wajda's company $150,000 for services that were not supplied; in turn; Wadja received approximately $38;000 from this scheme.
Delucia also admitted his role involving three other United employees: Alok Saksena; Anthony Rosalli; and Lovella Rogan; who held positions enabling them to influence which companies would be awarded certain contracts at Newark Airport.
These three have pleaded guilty to receiving bribes and kickbacks from Delucia's company in exchange for helping it win lucrative contracts. In September 2021; Delucia's company bid on a contract worth renovating restrooms at Newark; these three sat on the selection committee each voting towards awarding this $19 .7 million contract towards Delucia's company
In exchange; expecting future contract gains using their positions; significant renovations were agreed upon by Delucia’s Company at their private residences including bathroom builds/decks/floor installations/kitchen renos- alongside valuable items like electronics/jewelry being given too-The total value paid approximated around-Bribes-Saksena:$539K-Rosalli:$276K-Rogan:$409K- Port Authority Inspector General John Gay remarked-this case starkly highlights- individual exploitation via positional power-for personal gain-prioritizing- greed over public good
"We are grateful for partnering with US Attorney''s Office/FBI-rooting out- fraud-holding bad actors accountable-protecting system integrity-keeping our - region moving"
Dolphin/Wajda/Delucia-each face max sentences-up-to-twenty years/fines reaching- quarter-million-per count-Dolphin/Wajda sentencing set-June24th-2025 while - Delucia learns fate-July1st-2025
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