Det danske Fredsakademi
Kronologi over fredssagen og international politik 17. november 2005 / Timeline November 17, 2005
Version 3.516. November 2005, 18. November 2005
11/18/2005
U.S. Files First Criminal Charges Against Contractors in Iraq
Bloomberg
http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000006&sid=aBjCi0sn8wtE&refer=home#
-- The U.S. Justice Department filed the first criminal
charges against a contractor receiving Iraq reconstruction contracts,
according to court documents.
Philip H. Bloom, 65, funneled at least $693,000 in bribes and kickbacks
through bank accounts in Iraq, Switzerland, Romania and the Netherlands in
the year through January 2005, according to the documents filed yesterday.
The money then went to at least two unnamed U.S. government officials and
their spouses in exchange for reconstruction work valued at over $3.5
million, the documents show.
Bloom appeared in U.S. District Court in Washington where the papers were
filed, marking the first charges brought as a result of audits and follow-up
probes by Special Inspector General Stuart Bowen. The office was established
by Congress in late 2003 to oversee the spending of almost $30 billion in
appropriated U.S. tax dollars and funds controlled by the Iraqi government.
The contracts to Bloom's firms were Iraqi dollars.
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