Courtney Stadd, former chief of staff for NASA and a former White House liaison, was indicted on March 6, 2009, with charges of ethical violation after he allegedly directed $9.6 million to a client of his consulting firm.
Stadd is accused of steering funds from an earth science appropriation to Mississippi State University, whom was paying Stadd as a consultant. After illegally steering the funds, he allegedly lied to NASA officials about doing so. Stadd has been charged with three-counts of ethics violations and faces 15 years in prison if convicted.
Return to NASA
In 2005, Stadd returned to NASA a consultant to assist in the transition from then NASA chief Sean O'Keefe to new NASA administrator Michael Griffin. In April 2005, Griffen announced that he was creating a new position of associate administrator to run the daily operation of the agency. A memo announced that Stadd would temporarily fill the administration job until it was filled. During this three month stint, Stadd is accused of steering nearly $10 million of earth science appropriation funds to one of his consultant clients, Mississippi State University.
References
Fast Facts
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Launched management consulting firm Capital Solutions, specialized in advising aerospace clientsMSNBC: Ex-NASA official indicted for ethics breach (March 6, 2009)
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Consulting client, Mississippi State University's Georesources Institute, received nearly $10 million from NASA appropriation fundMSNBC: Ex-NASA official indicted for ethics breach (March 6, 2009)
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Allegedly directed $9.6 million to Mississippi State during three-month stint as administrator for NASAMSNBC: Ex-NASA official indicted for ethics breach (March 6, 2009)
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Following his return to consulting, Stadd requested his consulting fees from Mississippi State be more than doubledMSNBC: Ex-NASA official indicted for ethics breach (March 6, 2009)
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In e-mail to college officials, Stadd said pay raise was "the return on the investment"MSNBC: Ex-NASA official indicted for ethics breach (March 6, 2009)
