Trial in defense contractor kickback scheme goes to jury (KBR)

[maddezmom]

Jurors will return today to continue deliberations in the case of a former defense contract manager accused of taking $1 million from a Kuwaiti business as a kickback for allegedly inflating a contract for fuel trucks.

Jeff Alex Mazon chose not to testify in his own behalf before the defense rested its case Monday in U.S. District Court, Rock Island, where he's standing trial on four counts of major fraud against the United States and six counts of wire fraud.

The 39-year-old former manager with defense contractor Kellogg, Brown and Root is accused of accepting a $1 million kickback from Ali Hijazi, a former managing partner of LaNouvelle General Trading and Contracting Co. He received the payment after awarding the company a contract for fuel tankers for a Kuwait airport. The government says the contract had been inflated from an original estimate of $685,000 to $5.5 million.

In closing arguments Monday, the prosecution stated the scheme was well thought-out and planned, while the defense said the cost increase was a mathematical mistake.


more: http://qconline.com/archives/qco/display.php?id=384625

[TaffyMoon]

1. And He's Just the A Tiny Example of the Rot