Former Federal Contractor Sentenced to 42 Months and $172,500 fine for Bribery Involving Millions in U.S. DOD Contracts

FAIRBANKS – A former government contractor and owner of Best Choice Construction LLC (Best Choice) was sentenced to 42 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release and a criminal fine of $172,500 by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Ralph R. Beistline for conspiracy and bribery of a public official.

According to court documents, Ryan Dalbec, 44, of Mesa, Arizona, agreed to pay over $460,000 in bribes to former U.S. Air Force contracting official, Brian Lowell Nash II, in exchange for confidential bidding information on over $8,250,000 in U.S. Department of Defense contracts at Eielson Air Force Base and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER). The confidential bidding information Nash provided helped Dalbec and Best Choice win some of those contracts, including a $6,850,000 construction contract related to the F-35 aircraft program at Eielson Air Force Base. Dalbec and his wife, Raihana Nadem, also helped Nash launder the bribery proceeds through family members and third-party bank accounts to conceal the nature and source of the funds. Dalbec previously pleaded guilty to the charges on September 2, 2022.

Judge Beistline commented that Dalbec’s conduct was motivated by greed and his activity was premediated and likely would have continued had he not been caught. In addition to the other penalties, Judge Beistline ordered Dalbec to pay $16,296.80 in restitution to Eielson Air Force Base.

Nash was previously sentenced in November to serve 30 months imprisonment and ordered to forfeit $47,000 in unlawful gains.

Nadem pleaded guilty to a felony for related misconduct and is scheduled to be sentenced on December 16, 2022.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan D. Tansey.

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