http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/02/07/iraq.fraud/index.html Five indicted in alleged Iraq contracting scam WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A grand jury indicted three Army Reserve officers and two civilians Wednesday on charges they steered more than $8.6 million in Iraqi reconstruction funds to a contractor in exchange for kickbacks that included vehicles, jewelry and real estate. The 25-count indictment, which includes conspiracy, bribery and money-laundering charges, is the latest development in a wave of criminal charges stemming from the alleged fraudulent use of U.S. funds in Iraq. "This indictment alleges that the defendants flagrantly enriched themselves at the expense of the Iraqi people -- the very people they were there to help," U.S. Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty said in a news release. "U.S. government officials working in Iraq are not for sale. We will prosecute anyone who attempts to exploit the reconstruction efforts in Iraq for their personal gain." McNulty added that the defendants smuggled bricks of stolen cash from Iraq back to the United States for personal use. The indictment, filed in U.S. District Court in New Jersey, alleges that bids were rigged while the U.S.-led Coalition Provisional Authority was attempting to establish control of Iraq after Saddam Hussein was toppled. U.S. Army Reserve Col. Curtis Whiteford is the top military official indicted. He was the second-highest-ranking official in the office overseeing construction funds for the CPA in Hilla, Iraq. The other defendants include Army Reserve Lt. Col. Debra Harrison and Army Reserve Lt. Col. Michael Wheeler, both of whom worked for Whiteford. Robert Stein, a Defense Department civilian who worked for Whiteford in the contracting office, also was indicted in the alleged scam, which included 27 contracts, according to the indictment. Seymour Morris Jr., a contractor and U.S. citizen who owned a Cyprus-based financial services business, also was indicted. He resides in Romania and was arrested Tuesday, and the United States is seeking to have him extradited to New Jersey to face charges. "These individuals, including three military reserve officers, lieutenant colonels, who were placed in positions of trust, used the CPA funds as their own personal ATM machines," McNulty said. "They allegedly stole millions of dollars from the CPA and rigged valuable reconstruction projects all while helping themselves to cash, SUVs, luxury cars, jewelry and other valuable items." Announcement of the charges came one day after officials who oversaw the CPA faced lawmakers' questions on Capitol Hill about billions of dollars in government funds for which there has been no accounting.
Then it probably won't interest you. Halliburton will never be investigated for the fraud they have committed in Iraq.
If Democrats win in 08, look out for some huge investigations into all sorts of deals done by the Bush Administration. Bush and Cheney are praying for a Republican administration in 08 right now.
This is just a small potato. What about systematic looting of our tax $$$ thru cronyism??? http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/16/AR2006091600193.html http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2006/08/28/DI2006082800508.html
Not to mean I don't think it's not important. It's just that I can't bring myself to cheer for small time weed dealers being punished when Pablo Escobar is running around Iraq ripping us off.
I'm sorry I'm not sufficiently jaded, but this news makes me happy. It may have been slow in coming, but corruption in Iraq needs to be punished as often as we can manage it.
