Published May 20, 2026, 1:02 PM EDT
The recent verdict was intertwined with the case of retired Adm. Robert Burke, who is serving six years in prison.
Two business executives alleged by prosecutors to have bribed a now imprisoned U.S. Navy admiral have been acquitted. A federal jury on Monday in Washington D.C. acquitted Next Jump co-CEOs Yongchul “Charlie” Kim and Meghan Messenger, with court records showing each being found not guilty of committing conspiracy or bribery. The verdict comes after the pair were on trial last year, which ended with a hung jury and a mistrial. The pair were initially charged in relation to purportedly bribing retired four-star Navy Adm. Robert P. Burke for a military contract in exchange for a lucrative post-retirement job, according to the Associated Press. At the time of the allegations, Burke—once the second-highest uniformed Navy officer—was commanding forces in Africa and Europe, as well as Russia. In May 2025, Burke, 63, of Coconut Creek, Fla., was found guilty of bribery directly in relation to what Kim and Messenger were acquitted of on Monday. A jury found Burke guilty of conspiracy to commit bribery, bribery, performing acts affecting a personal financial interest, and concealing material facts from the United States following a five-day trial. He was sentenced in September to six years in prison. Next Jump is a New York-headquartered technology company that Kim founded in 1994, offering employee-discount products in addition to leadership practice and coaching. Military.com reached out to the company for comment.
