Serco’s website states that it has “supported” the USPTO for over a decade. It doesn’t own the USPTO, and I’m sure no one’s said that.
Quite how it supports the patent process seems a little opaque, but Serco markets proprietary patent search technology/process and the company has been deep in the patent area since its formation nearly 100 years ago. If its role at the USPTO is technological enablement for examiners, etc. Serco would be in a powerful position to monitor the flows of information in real time.
What should be appreciated is that Serco and some other companies - I’m not sure they should be termed competitors - are increasingly taking over functions that were formerly the preserve of government departments, often with shitty results (eg. some recent UK experiences).
Clearly, just a part of the planned corporate takeover of governments to deliver up the global corporatocracy.