Three Men Plead Guilty in Newark Airport Bribery and Fraud Scheme

Defendants Accepted Millions in Bribes to Influence Airport Contracts

Three men have pleaded guilty in a bribery and fraud scheme involving business contracts at Newark Liberty International Airport, according to Caroline Sadlowski, Attorney for the United States. The defendants—Edward Dolphin, 65, of Texas; James Wajda, 59, of Michigan; and Ronald Delucia, 70, of New Jersey—admitted to conspiring to commit wire fraud and accepting bribes in exchange for steering lucrative airport contracts.

Dolphin and Wajda entered their pleas on February 19, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi in Trenton federal court. Delucia pleaded guilty today to two counts of conspiracy to commit fraud.

Bribery and Fraudulent Contract Awards

Court documents reveal that Dolphin, an airline executive at Newark Airport, exploited his position to influence contract awards in exchange for more than $1.6 million in bribes and kickbacks. As Manager of Hub Business Partners, he controlled contract allocations and received illicit payments from vendors seeking preferential treatment.

• Delucia, the CEO of a service company at Newark Airport, paid Dolphin up to $31,500 per month, totaling $1 million, to secure business for his company.
• Dolphin also accepted $70,000 from another vendor to influence the awarding of a busing contract, $278,000 to secure a snow removal contract, and $262,000 to award an aircraft cleaning contract.

Wajda, who served as Chief Operating Officer of a Des Plaines, Illinois-based company, engaged in a separate fraudulent scheme with Delucia. In March 2022, Wajda authorized fake invoices totaling $150,000 for services that were never rendered. In return, Wajda personally received $38,600 through his limited liability company as a kickback.

“Blatant corruption like this erodes public trust and robs honest businesses of fair opportunities,” said Port Authority Inspector General John Gay. “This case is a stark example of individuals exploiting their positions for personal gain, putting greed ahead of the public good. We’re grateful for the partnership of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI as we root out fraud, hold bad actors accountable, and protect the integrity of the systems that keep our region moving.”

Expanded Conspiracy Involving Additional Airport Officials

Delucia also admitted to working with Alok Saksena, Anthony Rosalli, and Lovella Rogan—all of whom previously pleaded guilty—to rig contract awards. The three co-conspirators, who held decision-making roles at Newark Airport, helped Delucia’s company win contracts in exchange for personal benefits.

One such contract, awarded in September 2021, involved a $19.7 million restroom renovation project at Newark Airport. Saksena, Rosalli, and Rogan, who were on the selection committee, all voted in favor of Delucia’s company after receiving lavish personal renovations at their homes, including new bathrooms, kitchens, flooring, and decks, along with luxury items like electronics and jewelry.

• Saksena received bribes worth $539,000
• Rosalli received bribes worth $276,000
• Rogan received bribes worth $409,000

“The defendants exploited their positions within their respective companies to enrich themselves while defrauding others. Defendants’ commercial bribery and fraud corrupts the fairness of our economic system. We will hold to account those who break the law to line their own pockets,” said Attorney for the United States Caroline Sadlowski.

Sentencing and Potential Penalties

Each of the three defendants faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 per count.

• Dolphin and Wajda will be sentenced on June 24, 2025
• Delucia’s sentencing is scheduled for July 1, 2025

“The schemes conceived and executed by these individuals to defraud the airline operating out of Newark Airport are reprehensible. The individuals who benefited with monetary and other high-value gain are being held responsible for the bribery and corruption they had hoped would fly under the radar,” Newark Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly said.

The investigation was led by the FBI, the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office Special Prosecutions Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine J. Calle and Francesca Liquori.

All other co-conspirators are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.