WASHINGTON (7News) — The District of Columbia’s contracting process is under increased scrutiny as yet another government official, Bridgette Crowell, awaits sentencing for her involvement in a fraud scheme.
Crowell, who managed contracts for WMATA and the D.C. government from 2016 to 2023, will be sentenced next week. She pled guilty to steering government contracts in exchange for cash payments and other benefits.
“To address the gravity of her offense and sufficiently deter other public servants from similar acts of corruption, the court should impose a guideline sentence of between 21 and 27 months imprisonment,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Visser wrote in sentencing filings.
Crowell’s sentencing comes as the capital’s contracting process submits to multiple investigations. Both D.C. Mayor Murial Bowser and the D.C. Council began contracting inquiries after Councilman Trayon White was indicted for bribery. He’s accused of trading cash to influence city contracts.
Multiple 7News investigations have flagged contracting problems across multiple city agencies. D.C. Auditor Kathy Patterson’s office has also identified and published contracting missteps. Patterson is a vocal critic of the loose contract management, which she says has allowed waste, fraud, and abuse to flourish.
“We probably contract out way more than we should,” said Patterson, who has published dozens of reports highlighting unclear deliverables, poor contract oversight, and wasted funds.
In one instance, Patterson’s office found that D.C.’s Department of Transportation overpaid a contractor by more than $5 million for unapproved expenses related to the city’s streetcar program. Another investigation revealed that contracts for violence interruption services were converted into less scrutinized subgrants, reducing the city’s ability to ensure accountability and performance.
Councilman Trayon White's indictment is latest red flag into DC contracting oversight
The issues within D.C.’s contracting processes are not limited to a single department. The 7News I-Team’s investigations have revealed questionable contract management in several agencies, including:
- DDOT (Department of Transportation): A multimillion-dollar contract was awarded to a company owned by Leverson Boodlal, while his wife, Karen Boodlal, worked in the DDOT office overseeing the contract. The potential conflict of interest raised concerns about the ethics and transparency of the contract award process.
- D.C. Public Schools (DCPS): In 2022, a Maryland-based bus company contracted to transport schoolchildren was found to have serious safety violations. One of its drivers was arrested for driving a school bus, under the influence, with a bus full of kindergarteners. Subsequent investigations revealed that DCPS continued paying the bus company after its operating license was suspended.
- Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (ONSE): Federal prosecutors allege Councilman White tried to steer contracts at this agency in exchange for cash bribes. D.C. auditor Kathy Patterson previously flagged the agency for its lax oversight and lack of accountability in how it distributed money.
Despite the mounting evidence of problems within D.C.’s contracting processes, 7News and D.C. watchdogs including the Auditor and Attorney General have investigated a fraction of the capital’s contracts, leaving billions of dollars largely unexamined.
“There’s very little discipline and very little sense that I need to get maximum value for every taxpayer dollar,” said Patterson. “When you have fewer controls, you have a greater potential for conflicts and waste.”
