A federal judge has sentenced an Overland Park man to 29 months in prison for his role in a massive fraud scheme that compromised the procurement process for the nation’s nuclear weapons manufacturing projects. Michael Clinesmith, 70, learned his fate yesterday after being convicted of funneling lucrative government subcontracts to a business partner in exchange for over $1.2 million in illegal kickbacks.
The case centers on the Kansas City National Security Campus (KCNSC), a facility managed by the National Nuclear Security Administration. Clinesmith worked as an engineer for a major firm tasked with designing and sourcing “gages”—specialized tools used to measure and verify the precision of nuclear weapon components. According to court records, Clinesmith spent 15 years using his position to bypass fair bidding processes.
Federal prosecutors proved that Clinesmith conspired with Richard Mueller, a 65-year-old contractor from Missouri. The arrangement was straightforward: Clinesmith would provide Mueller with insider information, such as the engineering firm’s internal budgets, to help Mueller’s company win bids.
Once the subcontracts were awarded, Clinesmith would often perform the actual technical work himself in secret. Mueller then funneled payments back to Clinesmith, essentially paying him with the very taxpayer funds meant for the government project.
To keep the scheme running, Clinesmith repeatedly told his employers that the bids from Mueller’s company were “fair and reasonable.” He never disclosed that he was personally profiting from the deals.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division noted that the sentence reflects a crackdown on corruption within federal procurement, especially regarding sensitive national security infrastructure. He stated that Clinesmith traded his professional integrity for personal greed, undermining the trust placed in those who manage the country’s most critical defense assets.
The Department of Energy’s Office of Inspector General led the investigation. Assistant Inspector General Lewe Sessions emphasized that his office takes allegations of kickbacks seriously, noting that such fraud threatens the integrity of Department programs.
Clinesmith was convicted in October 2025 on multiple counts, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud and honest services wire fraud. In addition to his 29-month prison term, the sentencing marks the conclusion of a lengthy investigation into one of the most persistent procurement fraud cases in the facility’s history.
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