Bribe paid to FBI man for 'damaging' info on Bangladesh politician

A Bangladesh national has pleaded guilty to bribing an FBI special agent for access to confidential documents concerning a prominent Bangladeshi politician.

Rizve Ahmed, aka ‘Caesar’, 35, and his acquaintance Johannes Thaler, 51, pleaded guilty to the charge in a federal court in New York on Friday.

Robert Lustyik began scheming in Sept 2011 while working for the FBI’s counterintelligence squad in its White Plain’s office in New York. The scheme lasted until March 2012, the US Department of Justice said in a statement.

“Ahmed sought confidential law enforcement information, including a Suspicious Activity Report, pertaining to a Bangladeshi political figure affiliated with a political party opposing Ahmed’s views.”

(Photo: Lohud) Johannes Thaler

Thaler was Lustyik’s childhood friend, and Ahmed, a Bangladeshi, was Thaler’s acquaintance, and they both live in Connecticut and worked in a retailer store. The complaint identifies Ahmed’s intended victim as ‘Individual 1’.

Ahmed paid at least $1,000 to the two other men for information that included a suspicious activity report handed over to him by Thaler at a Danbury food court in Dec 9, 2011.

“Thaler and Ahmed admitted that Ahmed requested the confidential information to help him locate and harm his intended victim and others associated with the victim.”

“Ahmed also sought assistance in dismissing criminal charges against a different Bangladeshi political figure,” said the DOJ adding that Lustyik 'agreed to provide official assistance to interfere with the investigation'. 

Multiple text messages between Thaler and Lustyik were cited as evidence which indicate that the two planned to put pressure on Ahmed to get extra money for the information.

(Photo: Lohud) Robert Lustyik

Lustyik and Thaler, the charges said, sought $40,000 as advance and $30,000 per month for the ‘contract’ to dig up confidential information on 'Individual 1'.

"We need to push (Ahmed) for this meeting and get that 40gs (grands) quick .... I will talk us into getting the cash .... I will work my magic .... We r sooooooo close", said Lustyik in one message to Thaler.

The duo is said to have later learned that Ahmed was searching other sources for information in 2012, which angered Lustyik.

In a text message to Thaler he said: "I want to kill (Ahmed) .... I hung my ass out the window n we got nothing? .... Tell (Ahmed), I've got (Individual 1's) number and I'm pissed .... I will put a wire on n get (Ahmed and his associates) to admit they want (a Bangladeshi political figure) offed n we sell it to (Individual 1)."

The case for the four-count complaint was investigated by DOJ’s Office of the Inspector General.

All three men are accused of conspiracy to bribe a public official, while Thaler and Lustyik are charged with soliciting and receiving bribes.

The US government has charged Ahmed with bribing and offering to bribe a public official. Lustyik will also face trial for unlawfully disclosing the Suspicious Activity Report.

The sentencing for Thaler and Ahmed was scheduled for Jan 23 next year and Lustyik’s trial will be held on Nov 17.