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Postal service employee charged in federal bribery case

Posted at 7:17 AM, Feb 24, 2022
and last updated 2022-02-24 07:17:15-05

DETROIT (AP) — A 61-year-old U.S. Postal Service facilities engineer is accused of accepting bribes in return for government contracts.

Thomas Berlucchi of Troy was charged Wednesday in federal court in Detroit, The Detroit News reported.

The newspaper said Berlucchi’s attorney declined to comment.

Bribes allegedly included construction work on a cottage and free hotel rooms, according to prosecutors.

A Rochester Hills company was awarded more than $5 million in contracts for repairs to postal service buildings in Michigan and New York. It’s owner, Michael Rymar, pleaded guilty in September in the embezzlement of more than $1.2 million from the postal service.

Rymar is awaiting sentencing and faces up to 10 years in prison.