Federal Prison-Phone Monitoring Contract Award to Elliott Broidy’s LEO Technologies

In April 2026 the Federal Bureau of Prisons awarded LEO Technologies, a Texas AI firm founded by Elliott Broidy, a $106 million contract to translate, transcribe and monitor inmate telephone calls. Six firms bid; LEO’s proposal was selected as the agency’s first federal award.

The Guardian

Elliott Broidy, longtime Republican fundraiser and former RNC deputy finance chair, pleaded guilty in 2020 to conspiring to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act by lobbying the Trump administration for Chinese and Malaysian interests. He received a full presidential pardon on 19 January 2021. Earlier, he was convicted in 2009 for paying New York officials to secure business, a felony later reduced to a misdemeanor.

The Guardian

LEO’s attorneys asserted that Broidy was not involved in the competitive bidding or award process. The Bureau of Prisons confirmed LEO was one of six respondents and declined comment on selection criteria. DOJ records note Broidy’s prior lobbying but found no link to the award.

The Guardian

The contract follows Broidy’s recent pardon and prior illegal-lobbying conviction. The Bureau of Prisons said there is no evidence that his past links to Trump influenced the award.

The Guardian

Broidy’s lawyers claim he never “promoted the interests” of the UAE or Saudi Arabia, while DOJ documents state he “agreed to lobby the President, the Attorney General and other officials.” He also called media coverage a “fabrication driven by hackers,” a claim that contrasts with New York Times reporting based on hacked emails.

The Guardian

• “Mr Broidy played no role in the competitive bidding process or its award.” — LEO Technologies spokesperson

The Guardian

• “She alone decided that she did not want to continue with the pregnancy and I offered to help her financially during this difficult period. We have not spoken since that time.” — Elliott Broidy (2018 statement)

The Guardian

• “This whole narrative is a fabrication driven by hackers who want to undermine me.” — Elliott Broidy (comment to the New York Times)

The Guardian

• “Mr Broidy never ‘promoted the interests’ of the UAE or Saudi Arabia or otherwise worked on behalf of either nation – conduct that would have been illegal absent registration under the Foreign Agents Registration Act – and the New York Times article in no way ‘revealed’ that he did.” — Broidy’s lawyers (lawsuit filing)

The Guardian

• “represent the world’s largest concentration of criminally-minded activity – all on recorded lines, all legally accessible” — LEO Technologies website (description of prison calls)

The Guardian

LEO must begin deploying the AI system within the next fiscal year, extending monitoring to all federal correctional facilities. The Bureau of Prisons will oversee compliance with privacy and legal standards as the technology is integrated.

The Guardian