A Gaithersburg Couple Defrauded NASA Over 17 Years, Pleaded Guilty To Charges

GAITHERSBURG, MD — A Gaithersburg couple has pleaded guilty to charges related to a defrauding scheme in which they unlawfully received money that was related to a NASA grant program.

The scheme lasted from 2002 to 2019, the U.S. Attorney's office said. Ana Veronica Giri, 49, worked as a NASA contractor. She conspired with her husband — Vishesh Giri, 45 — to receive kickbacks for ensuring that a certain vendor would be chosen for information technology and audio-visual services in a NASA contract. Vishesh Giri traveled to the vendor's office to receive the payments, according to the U.S. Attorney.

The couple got 10 percent of the contract and was given televisions, computers and other electronics.

"Since 2011, the Giris received at least $707,331, paid through 260 kickback payments. The Giris did not report these earnings on their 2011 through 2019 income tax returns, which resulted in a tax loss of at least $165,471," the attorney's announcement says. "As a result of this conspiracy, the Giris were able to maintain a lavish lifestyle, including the purchase of multiple real estate properties between 2005 and 2018 in Maryland and North Carolina."

They pleaded guilty and are scheduled to be sentenced on February 25, 2022.