DETROIT – The former chief executive officer of a Detroit-based technology company pleaded guilty Wednesday in a bribery scheme.
Parimal D. Mehta, 54, of Northville, was the CEO of FutureNet Group Inc. He was accused of participating in a scheme to bribe a Detroit official to get benefits for the company, according to Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.
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Mehta pleaded guilty to one count of federal program bribery before U.S. District Judge Robert H. Cleland of the Eastern District of Michigan. He is expected to be sentenced Sept. 27.
In his plea deal, Mehta admitted that from 2009 through August 2016, he hand-delivered more than $6,500 to Charles L. Dodd, the former director of Detroit’s Office of Departmental Technology Services, including two cash bribes paid in the restroom of a Detroit-area restaurant in 2016.
Dodd previously pleaded guilty to bribery Sept. 27, 2016.
According to the plea agreement, Mehta wanted preferential treatment for FutureNet in exchange for the bribes he paid to Dodd. Among other things, Mehta asked Dodd to cause FutureNet to be selected to fill open positions for contract personnel and to implement particular technological projects in various city departments.
Mehta also asked Dodd to supply him with confidential information regarding Detroit’s internal operations, including information regarding Detroit’s internal budgets for particular technology projects and personnel, which would benefit FutureNet in its dealings with Detroit, according to officials.