October 15, 2005
TAMPA - Faced with a widening bribery scandal, officials at Special Operations Command said Friday they would review all contracts to determine if the kickback scheme left the nation's secret military commandos with inferior war-fighting equipment.
William E. Burke, 49, of Odessa, a defense contractor at SOCom, pleaded guilty to bribery in a plea deal and agreed to cooperate with federal investigators and identify associates in the scheme. He could face up to 15 years in prison.
As word spread of other criminal targets in the investigation, panic spread among employees and private consultants.
Some scrambled to retain legal counsel, according to high-profile attorneys, including Patrick Doherty of Palm Harbor. "Innocent people are concerned," said Doherty, who has been hired to represent a consultant.
http://www.sptimes.com/2005/10/15/Worldandnation/SOCom_bribery_scandal.shtml