5 indicted in alleged bid-rigging scam in Iraq

[EV_Ares]

From USA Today:



WASHINGTON (AP) — Three Army Reserve officers and a U.S. contractor were indicted Wednesday as part of an alleged bid-rigging scam that steered millions of dollars of Iraq reconstruction projects to a contractor in exchange for cash, luxury cars, jewelry and other pricey goods.
The husband of one of the military officials also was charged with helping to smuggle at least $10,000 into the United States that the couple used to pay for improvements to their New Jersey house.

The alleged scam was outlined in a 25-count indictment filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in New Jersey.

The three U.S. Army Reserve officers were responsible for helping to supervise how the U.S.-managed Coalition Provisional Authority spent an estimated $26 billion available for reconstruction projects in Iraq. They were in those posts in 2003 and 2004.

The indictment says the three officers — Col. Curtis G. Whiteford of Utah, Lt. Col. Debra M. Harrison of New Jersey and Lt. Col. Michael B. Wheeler of Wisconsin — directed at least $8 million to a construction and services company. In return, they allegedly demanded cash, a Nissan sports car, a Cadillac SUV, real estate, a Breitling watch, business-class plane tickets and other items.

The contractor, identified in the indictment as Seymour Morris Jr., allegedly acted as a go-between for the military officers and the construction company by illegally wiring money and securing the goods. Morris is a U.S. citizen who lived in Romania, and owned and operated a Cyprus-based financial services business.

(rest of story @ link below)

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-02-07-iraq-contract-bribes_x.htm

[derby378]

1. $8 million down, $9.992 billion to go...

:mad:

[BuyingThyme]

2. Finally going after the big fish.

Not.