Darleen A. Druyun (born November 7, 1947) is a retired Senior Executive Service official of the United States Department of the Air Force and a former Boeing employee. In 2004, Druyun pleaded guilty to a felony in relation to her role in the United States Air Force tanker contract controversy, for engaging in corruption while serving as Principal Deputy Undersecretary of the Air Force for Acquisition.

Education

Druyun graduated from Chaminade University of Honolulu and the executive education program at Harvard Kennedy School at Harvard University.

Appointments and career

From 1991 to 1993, Druyun was at NASA as head of procurement and chief of staff to Administrator Dan Goldin. During her subsequent career as air force procurement officer, Druyun "acquire[d] a great deal of authority", in part because she resolved several procurement failure by bending the rules.

Soon after her appointment to the Air Force, Druyun was investigated for her involvement in a plan to speed up payments to McDonnell Douglas Although dozens of other people involved were convicted or discharged, Druyun kept her position. In 1995, Druyun introduced changes to Air Force acquisition processes, including an alternative dispute resolution process.

After leaving the Department of the Air Force in 2003, Druyun took a job with Boeing at an annual salary of $250,000. She also received a $50,000 signing bonus.

In December 2003, the Pentagon announced the project was to be frozen while an investigation of allegations of corruption by Druyun was begun. Druyun pleaded guilty to inflating the price of the contract to favor her future employer and to passing information on the competing Airbus A330 MRTT bid (from EADS). CBS News called it "the biggest Pentagon scandal in 20 years" and said she pleaded guilty to a felony.

In October 2004, Druyun was sentenced to nine months in federal prison for corruption, fined $5,000, given three years of supervised release, and 150 hours of community service. She began her prison term on January 5, 2005, and she was released on September 30. The scandal led to the firing of Boeing CFO Michael M. Sears and the resignation of Boeing CEO Phil Condit. On February 18, 2005, Sears was sentenced to four months in prison. Boeing paid $615 million in fines for their involvement.

References

  • Mini-biography of Darleen Druyun
  • Plea agreement
  • Air Force Darleen Druyun Biography