Five individuals have been indicted for their alleged involvement in bribery and money laundering schemes aimed at securing contracts from Delta Airlines at JFK Airport, according to an announcement by New York Attorney General Letitia James. The investigation, conducted by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, revealed three separate schemes that used fraudulent invoices and cash payments to bribe a high-level Delta employee.
Attorney General James stated, “When businesses bribe their way into lucrative contracts, everyday New Yorkers can suffer the consequences of worse service and higher costs. These bribery schemes impacted critical shipping services at one of the busiest airports in the nation. These individuals repeatedly broke the law, but today we are shutting down their pay-to-play schemes and holding them accountable.”
Port Authority Inspector General John Gay commented on the investigation: “We’re grateful for our strong partnership with the Attorney General’s Office that helped us uncover these alleged schemes inside JFK’s cargo operations. Blatant bribes, fake invoices, and vacation kickbacks have no place in an environment that depends on honesty and accountability. Our office will continue to pursue anyone who attempts to compromise the safety and integrity of the region’s critical transportation infrastructure.”
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel added, “Partnership among law enforcement and our public sector colleagues is vital to safeguarding the integrity of our transportation infrastructure and protecting the well-being and safety of New Yorkers. HSI New York was proud to play a role in these indictments, which demonstrate how imperative it is in working together to uncover and address complex criminal schemes that threaten public trust. HSI’s continued collaboration with law enforcement partners, including the Office of the Attorney General and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, ensures that those who seek to undermine our community’s safety and prosperity are held accountable.”
The first indictment alleges that Irfan Syed, CEO of Jet Way Security and Investigations as well as Jet Way Aviation Services; Beau Baer, a director at Jet Way; and a third co-conspirator from Alliance Ground International (AGI), paid quarterly cash bribes totaling about $375,000 over five years to a Delta employee using false invoices between AGI and Jet Way. In addition to cash payments, they provided trips to Las Vegas and Atlantic City for this employee.
Syed, Baer, and their co-conspirator face charges including conspiracy, money laundering in the second degree, scheme to defraud in the first degree, commercial bribing in the second degree, with Syed also charged with falsifying business records. If convicted on all counts, they could receive sentences ranging from five up to fifteen years.
A second indictment centers on Raymond Kayume’s alleged role as an intermediary for another vendor seeking Delta business. The vendor agreed to pay five percent of its Delta earnings as bribes through checks written for fictitious work performed by Kayume’s company Kennedy Advanced Professional Services; Kayume then split these funds with the Delta employee while keeping half himself. Kayume faces charges including money laundering in the fourth degree; if convicted he could be sentenced up to four years.
The third indictment involves Joseph Puzzo from American Compressed Gases (ACG), accused of arranging per-canister bribe payments through a consulting firm intermediary so ACG could retain its contract with Delta’s cargo warehouses at JFK. Puzzo faces similar charges as Kayume.
All defendants were arraigned before Queens County Supreme Court Judge John Zoll. The prosecution team includes Assistant Attorneys General Nicholas Kyriacou and Jimei Hon under Public Integrity Bureau Chief Gerard Murphy.
The investigation was led by members of both Port Authority Office of Inspector General staff as well as Homeland Security Investigations agents based out of New York.
The charges remain allegations until proven otherwise in court.