Hiram Business Owner Faces Federal Bribery Charges

ATLANTA, GA — A U.S. Food and Drug Administration official and a businessman from Hiram have been charged in federal court with bribery and conspiracy.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Atlanta says Elvis Gordon, a supervisor with the FDA in Atlanta, used his influence to steer business to P&E Management, a company owned by Ivan Ponder, of Hiram.

In exchange, prosecutors say, Ponder gave Gordon a debit card tied to the company's account. Gordon used the card for shopping sprees, vacations and dining out, according to federal prosecutors.

"Gordon and Ponder allegedly carried out a kickback scheme that lined both their pockets with taxpayer money for nearly six years," said U. S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. "Gordon is charged with violating the public’s trust by taking bribes in exchange for steering FDA business to Ponder."

Gordon, 51, of Marietta, is senior facilities manager of the FDA field office in Atlanta. That role influences the selection of businesses that do maintenance work at the agency's office building, prosecutors say.

They claim that Gordon used that position to groove contracts to P&E Managament from 2010 to 2016. On one occasion, prosecutors say, Gordon used the debit card given to him by Ponder to pay for FDA business trip expenses, then sought reimbursement for those charges from the government.

P&E also bought a Cadillac Escalade for Gordon and his wife, the district attorney's office claims.

Gordon and Ponder, 38, were arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Catherine M. Salinas. They were indicted by a federal grand jury on Oct. 17.

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