Chesterfield Man Pleads Guilty to Fraud Charges

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
EASTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI

RICHARD G. CALLAHAN 
United States Attorney

 

March 15, 2012
For Immediate Release

CHESTERFIELD MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO FRAUD CHARGES

St. Louis, MO - The United States Attorney’s Office announced today that RUSSELL TODD, of Chesterfield, pled guilty to accepting illegal gratuities from government contractors with the Director of Projects for the VA Medical Center in St. Louis between 2007 and 2010.

Todd admitted to accepting approximately $20,000 in luxury baseball tickets, meals and entertainment and a local gentlemen's club from Joseph Madlinger and Michael Woodling while he was steering $3.4 million dollars in work at the VA to their company.  Woodling and Madlinger have previously pleaded guilty to making the illegal payment to Todd and to defrauding the VA by setting up a front company, purportedly owned and operated by a service disabled veteran for the purpose of securing set aside contracting work for businesses owed by service disabled veterans.

Todd appeared before Chief U.S. District Judge Catherine D. Perry, who set sentencing for June 12, 2012.

Todd faces up to two years in prison and/or a fine of $250,000. In determining the actual sentences, a Judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges.

Co-defendants Michael Woodling, Fenton, MO, and Joseph Madlinger, Dupo, IL, pled guilty in February to one felony count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud involving the payment of gratuities to a federal official.  They are each scheduled for sentencing in May 2012.

This case was investigated by the Offices of Inspector General for the Department of Veterans Affairs, the General Services Administration and the Small Business Administration.  Assistant United States Attorney Tom Albus is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.