Source: D.C. official may have taken part in bribe

WASHINGTON (Map, News) - Juan Scott, the head of the District of Columbia’s illegal construction unit, patted down his former government colleague and asked if he wore a recording device before they discussed the terms of a bribe, according to sources familiar with the federal investigation.

The disclosure represents the latest revelation from a probe into the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs’ division that has resulted in the conviction of a former DCRA engineer. Yaw Agipong, now in private business as a structural engineer, pleaded guilty earlier this month to trying to bribe a government official.

Federal prosecutors said the government official agreed to accept Agipong’s $2,000 bribe in exchange for removing a stop-work order that prevented a project from moving forward in the 1100 block of Fifth Street NW

Authorities have not named the D.C. official because he has not been charged with a crime, but a source close to the case has confirmed to The Examiner that Scott was the government official.

Scott has not returned repeated calls to The Examiner.

The Fifth Street developers claim in a notarized affidavit that Agipong told them that Scott’s bosses were aware of the arrangement to have the stop-work order removed. Agipong assured the developers that Scott would not come back with another stop-work order.

“Scott would not be a problem and there are people over him,” Agipong allegedly told Kevin Humphreys, the husband of one of the developers, according to the affidavit.

Humphreys also happened to be an FBI agent and he immediately reported the conversation to his bosses at the FBI headquarters. The FBI began recording telephone conversations between the Fifth Street developers and Agipong.

Agipong called Scott to meet at Agipong’s office, but the inspector said he didn’t meet people in offices and asked to meet on the street, according to documents and sources.

At the meeting spot on the D.C. street, Scott ran his hands up and down Agipong to make sure he was not wired. The inspector asked whether Agipong had the money, authorities said.

Agipong did not have the money.

Several days later, Agipong went back to the Fifth Street developers and told them it would cost $17,000 in cash payment and a check for $3,000 to remove the stop work order and prevent Scott or any other inspector from interfering with their project, authorities said.

One of the developers met Agipong at an FBI monitored warehouse with an envelope full of cash. Agipong’s sentencing is June 14. He faces 15 years.

Scott remains the acting head of the DCRA’s illegal construction division, but his superiors have suspended his authority and confiscated his law enforcement badge. His annual salary is $67,000.

smccabe@dcexaminer.com

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