Defense startup Govini founder Gillespie charged in child sex sting

Founder of Virginia-based advocacy startup Govini Arrested for allegedly attempting to rape a prepubescent girl sexual contact In Pennsylvania, officials said Monday.

Founder, Eric GillespieAccording to the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, (57) was charged with four felonies, including multiple counts of unlawful contact with a minor.

Gillespie, who lives in Pittsburgh, was denied bail by a judge due to flight risk and public safety concerns.

His company, which put him on administrative leave on Monday, has a $900 million contract with the U.S. government and multiple agreements with the company. Department of Defense.

Govini announced last month that its annual recurring revenue had surpassed $100 million. It is considered a leading “unicorn” in the field of defense technology and is an important partner of the US Army. New Generation Command and Control program.

Pentagon officials told CNBC they are investigating Gillespie’s arrest and possible security issues.

“While the Department cannot comment on individual security clearances under the Privacy Act, we take these allegations very seriously,” a senior War Department official said in a statement.

Gillespie lists himself as Govini’s executive chairman on his LinkedIn page.

Gillespie was seen as an expert on transparency in government and Freedom of Information Act Advisory Committee by the Obama Administration in 2014

White House warned everyone security clearance I will forward questions about him to the Pentagon.

A spokesman for Govini said in a statement Wednesday that the company “was made aware of the serious allegations against Eric Gillespie” on Monday.

“Upon learning of these allegations, we took immediate action to place Mr. Gillespie on administrative leave,” the spokesperson said.

“The Company will fully cooperate with law enforcement in connection with the investigation. We recognize the seriousness of these allegations and will hold all of our employees to the highest ethical standards. We are committed to supporting victims of abuse of all kinds.”

According to the attorney general’s office, an agent posing as an adult was chatting with Gillespie on an online chat platform frequently used by criminals trying to arrange meetings with children.

Gillespie then tried to arrange a meeting with someone he believed to be a prepubescent girl in Lebanon County near Hershey, the office said.

“During the investigation, Gillespie discussed methods of accessing children, and other evidence of contact with children was also found,” the office said.

The AG’s office did not comment on questions about the electronic devices seized during the operation. The office is asking the public to provide additional information regarding the case.

Govini, with Anduril Industries, palantir, Striveworks, Instant Connect Enterprise, Research Innovations, Inc., Microsoft And LockheedMartin it is also part of the U.S. Army’s $99.6 million Next Generation Command and Control program.

NGC2 is a program that enables the U.S. Army to transform command and control operations by providing commanders with access to critical real-time data and infrastructure in areas where communications may be disrupted.

Govini’s suite of AI-powered applications is used by every department of the U.S. military and other federal agencies, according to the company. Access to sensitive information is vast.

The software allows the US military to make informed decisions by analyzing the supply chains and critical details of companies the US government is considering purchasing.

Recently at Bain Capital Press release “We’re excited to support Govini’s next phase of growth as it continues to revolutionize how the U.S. government acquires and uses the talent that keeps us safe,” said Scott Kirk, Partner at Bain Capital Tech Opportunities, in announcing Govini’s $150 million investment.

Bain did not respond to multiple emails from CNBC seeking comment.