Foreign Service Officer and International Jeweler Indicted on Charges of Bribery and Conspiracy

U.S. Department of Justice

Kenneth L. Wainstein

United States Attorney

District of Columbia

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For Information Contact:

Friday, August 25, 2006 Public Affairs

Channing Phillips (202) 514-6933

http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/dc

WASHINGTON, D.C. - A U.S. Foreign Service Officer, Michael John O’Keefe, Sr., 59, and an International Jeweler, Sunil Agrawal, 47, have been indicted on charges of bribery and conspiracy, U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Wainstein and U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Director Joe D. Morton announced today.

The three-count, 22-page indictment, which was returned under seal on August 18, 2006, by a federal grand jury in the District of Columbia was unsealed today. O’Keefe, 59, a 22-year veteran of the State Department who was employed at the U.S. Consulate in Toronto, Canada, as the Deputy Non-Immigrant Visa Chief, was arrested in the District of Columbia yesterday by Diplomatic Security Special Agents. He appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Alan Kay. Agrawal, who is the Chief Executive Officer of STS Jewels, Inc., an international manufacturer and distributor of semi-precious gems with purported

offices in New York, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Japan, India, Dubai and Tanzania, remains at large.

If convicted on the charges, O’Keefe and Agrawal face between 5 and 15 years in prison, and a fine of not more than $250,000. Under the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, O’Keefe faces between 41 and 51 months in prison and Agrawal faces between 27 and 33 months of imprisonment.

The indictment charges that from on or before February 1, 2004, through August 18, 2006, in Toronto, Canada, New York, Las Vegas and elsewhere, O’Keefe, being a public official, corruptly conspired and agreed to seek, receive and accept, and Sunil Agrawal corruptly conspired and agreed to give and offer things of value to influence Michael John O’Keefe in the performance of official acts and to induce O’Keefe to act and fail to act in violation of his official duties. Specifically, the indictment alleges that Agrawal gave O’Keefe round-trip airline tickets for O’Keefe and two exotic dancers between Toronto and Las Vegas; hotel accommodations and expenses in New York and Las Vegas for O’Keefe and two exotic dancers; jewelry; expensive meals; entertainment; and a job reference. In return, O’Keefe allegedly scheduled expedited visa interview appointments and issued visas to 21 persons sponsored by Agrawal to benefit Agrawal and his business.

“U.S. Consular Officials are on the front line of our border protection,” stated U.S. Attorney Wainstein. “A consular official who violates the rules for personal gain not only erodes public trust in our visa system, but seriously jeopardizes our national security.”

“The integrity of the passport and visa systems must be protected. Diplomatic Security considers any violations of these systems to be violations of the public trust,” said U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service Director Morton.

In announcing the indictment and the arrest of O’Keefe, U.S. Attorney Wainstein and DSS Director Morton particularly commended the work of Diplomatic Security Service Special Agents, the Consular Officers of the Bureau of Consular Affairs, and the Vulnerabilities and Assessment Unit and the Visa and Passport Analysis Unit, all of the Department of State. They also commended the Nevada Gaming Commission and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brenda J. Johnson of the National Security Section, who is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until found guilty.