Former airline representative in NJ, Alok Saksena and co-conspirators, admit role in bribery conspiracy

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A former airline corporate real estate director and former airline senior manager, as well as a former airline contractor, each admitted accepting bribes from a company in exchange for agreeing to assist the company obtain contracts from the airline, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced November 30, 2023.

Alok Saksena, 45, of Montclair, New Jersey, Anthony Rosalli, 44, of Burlington, New Jersey, and Lovella Rogan, 48, of Springfield, New Jersey each pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi in Trenton, N.J. federal court to informations that charged them with conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud.

The defendants face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing for Saksena is scheduled for April 17, 2024. Sentencing for Rosalli and Rogan is scheduled for April 18, 2024.

According to the Nov. 30, 2023 press release, documents filed in this case and statements made in court, noted the following:

Rosalli, Saksena, and Rogan all held positions with the airline that enabled them to influence which companies the airline would award certain contracts to at Newark Liberty International Airport (Newark Airport). The defendants conspired to receive bribes and kickbacks from a company that provided maintenance and construction services in exchange for helping that company obtain lucrative airline contracts at Newark Airport.

In September 2021, the maintenance and construction company bid on a contract to renovate restrooms at Newark Airport. The defendants sat on the selection committee and each of them voted to award the contract to the company.

In exchange for the defendants’ help in obtaining the restroom renovation contract and with the expectation that they would use their positions to help the company obtain future contracts, the company agreed to pay for significant renovations at the defendants’ personal residences, including renovating and building bathrooms, renovating a deck, installing floors and sheetrock, and renovating a kitchen.

The company gave the defendants valuable items, including electronics and jewelry. The total value of the bribes paid was approximately $539,000 to Saksena; approximately $276,000 to Rosalli; and approximately $409,000 to Rogan.

The defendants also conspired with an employee of the maintenance and construction company to fraudulently inflate change orders, which amended the contract’s scope of work, to recoup some of the bribe costs.