U.S. Officials Suspected of Embezzlement in Iraq

[rodeodance]

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/iraq/la-fg-fraud5may05,0,6994435,print.story?coll=la-home-headlines


U.S. Officials Suspected of Embezzlement in Iraq

Nearly $100 million in reconstruction funds is unaccounted for, investigators say.

By T. Christian Miller
Times Staff Writer

05/05/05 "Los Angeles Times" - - WASHINGTON — The U.S. government has opened a criminal inquiry into suspected embezzlement by officials who failed to account for almost $100 million they disbursed for Iraqi reconstruction projects, federal investigators said Wednesday.

Auditors have been unable to fully document how the money was allocated to Iraqi workers by a small group of officials working from a U.S. outpost in Hillah, according to an audit report released Wednesday by Stuart W. Bowen Jr., the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction.

The auditors found "significant" problems in the Hillah office, including one case in which an official fired for mishandling funds was allowed to continue disbursing money nearly a month after his termination.

The case is the first time U.S. government officials have been investigated for a suspected major corruption scheme involving the Iraq reconstruction. The rebuilding effort has been marred by allegations against Iraqis as well as contractors from the United States and elsewhere.
......

[pfitz59]

1. Start at the White House

and work down! They're all crooked!

[rodeodance]

2. I think they are going after small fish here--Where is the 8-9 Billion

that was 'lost' by the Pentagon.

[Ouabache]

3. wasn't there an article where the Pentagon put $14b in the Stock Market?

I saw reference to it several times here on the boards where they had taken some funds allocated for defense and actually put them in the stock market !! The investement was down like 1.2% as well. And troops still go without body armor and unarmored SUVs.

[struggle4progress]

4. The scumbags are low-balling how much has been ripped off.

And, of course, nobody ever imposed much in the way of restrictions.

[0007]

5. Everyone in this crooked administration has a license to steal!

junior is fucking America and America loves it!

[Rose Siding]

6. The Coalition Provisional Authority recruited right out of GOP ranks

In Iraq, the Job Opportunity of a Lifetime

Sunday, May 23, 2004; Page A01

BAGHDAD
snip>
When the U.S. government went looking for people to help rebuild Iraq, they had responded to the call. They supported the war effort and President Bush. Many had strong Republican credentials. They were in their twenties or early thirties and had no foreign service experience. On that first day, Oct. 1, they knew so little about how things worked that they waited hours at the airport for a ride that was never coming. They finally discovered the shuttle bus out of the airport but got off at the wrong stop.
...
Ledeen's journey to Baghdad began two weeks earlier when she received an e-mail out of the blue from the Pentagon's White House liaison office. The Sept. 16 message informed her that the occupation government in Iraq needed employees to prepare for an international conference. "This is an amazing opportunity to move forward on the global war on terror," the e-mail read.
...
Others from across the District responded affirmatively to the same e-mail, for different reasons. Andrew Burns, 23, a Red Cross volunteer who had taught English in rural China, felt going to Iraq would help him pursue a career in humanitarian aid. Todd Baldwin, 28, a legislative aide for Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.), thought the opportunity was too good to pass up. John Hanley, 24, a Web site editor, wanted to break into the world of international relations. Anita Greco, 25, a former teacher, and Casey Wasson, 23, a recent college graduate in government, just needed jobs.

For months they wondered what they had in common, how their names had come to the attention of the Pentagon, until one day they figured it out: They had all posted their resumes at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative-leaning think tank.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A48543-2004May22?language=printer