O’Keefe Media Group exposes MASSIVE federal contracting scam run by Native American company abusing minority status

In the exposé, members of ATI Government Solutions, a Virginia-based firm that's on paper 51% owned by the Susanville Indian Rancheria, repeatedly admit breaking the law. Hidden camera footage reveals ATI was cooked up by two white Washington, DC insiders who run the show and exploit the Small Business Administration's 8(a) diversity program to line their pockets with taxpayer cash.

https://twitter.com/JamesOKeefeIII/status/1980344367014429114

Posing as reps from a phony cybersecurity outfit called "Sev-Zero Solutions," OMG reporters lured ATI's Director of Contracts, Melayne Cromwell (who moonlights with a "Ragin’ Cajun Catering" side job), into spilling the beans at an Arlington, Virginia restaurant. Cromwell didn't hold back, bragging about how ATI's Native American label gives them an unbeatable edge. "Because we’re Native American-owned, we’re heavily favored for government contracts... There’s no bidding war."

Subcontractors spot juicy contracts they can't win because they're not minority-owned, so ATI bids on their behalf, she explained. "So we bid on it for them, they become our sub, and it’s an automatic win because of our government set-aside. You automatically will win that contract because you’re Native American status. There’s no bidding war," Cromwell said.

"I tell you, pass-throughs are a great thing," she said, later adding, "We only do 20 percent of the work."

Cromwell confirmed the tribe's ownership is just window dressing: "51% on paper. Correct. As long as it’s on paper. That you’re 51%, you’re good to go."

In a separate meeting, tribal chairman of the Susanville Indian Rancheria, Arian Hart, admitting that in a potential partnership, the tribe wouldn't lift a finger: "No, we would not do the work ourselves, right." When pressed, Arian added, "We have the ability to get the contracts, and that’s probably the most important thing."

The pass-through racket flies in the face of Federal Acquisition Regulations which mandate that prime contractors like ATI must handle at least 50% of the work themselves to stop small businesses from fronting for big players.

This comes just months after the Supreme Court's unanimous May 2025 smackdown in Kousisis v. United States, ruling that faking minority status to score federal gigs is wire fraud.

When OMG reached out to Cromwell for comment, she strangely denied any affiliation with ATI while claiming she wasn't authorized to speak: "I am not affiliated with ATI and have not been authorized to speak on behalf of the company or any of its business practices."

James O’Keefe and OMG have teased more is to come in Part 2.