Ex-Pentagon officials accused of fraud

[Rose Siding]

Two former Pentagon officials, including an acting secretary of the Navy, have been accused of scheming with a banned American contractor to get lucrative rebuilding contracts in Iraq, The Associated Press has learned.

The contracting firm, Custer Battles LLC, was suspended two years ago by the military for submitting millions of dollars in fake invoices.

The charges come in a sealed federal lawsuit, a copy of which was obtained by The AP. It was filed by two whistleblowers - one of whom won a $10 million judgment in another suit when a federal jury agreed that Custer Battles had swindled the government.

The current suit names former acting Navy Secretary Hansford T. Johnson, former acting Navy Undersecretary Douglas Combs, and Custer Battles LLC officials including founders Scott Custer and Mike Battles, who were barred in 2004 after billing the government for work that was never done and for padding invoices by much as 100 percent.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1110AP_Contractor_Fraud.html

[MADem]

1. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! Shocked, I am, shocked!!!!!!!

NOT.

Hang 'em from the yardarm, or make 'em walk the plank, scurvy bums!!!!!!!

This is what those FUCKERS did:

According to the suit filed in Virginia, the shell companies committed other illegal acts, including selling weapons on the Iraqi black market, creating a dangerous possibility that "insurgents could buy them and use them to attack U.S. soldiers."...Custer Battles also is under federal criminal investigation for accusations of fraud and two alleged incidents in which its security guards opened fire on Iraqi civilians and soldiers.

The AP reported in June 2005 that former officials of Custer Battles continued to do contracting work in Iraq, despite the U.S. military suspension. Its officials formed new companies to bid on fortune-making contracts. Two of those companies, according to property records, were located in Custer Battles' Rhode Island office.

...According to the suit, Custer Battles sought to flout the suspension order in two ways:
-It transferred Iraq operations to Danubia Global. "This would be a change in name only, since all Custer Battles Iraq operations managers ... would retain the same responsibilities and perform the same functions," the suit says.

-In the United States, Custer Battles continued recruitment, benefits administration and travel arrangements through Emergent and Tar Heel - the new companies formed at Custer Battles' office...

Keelhaul them, the bastards!!!!!!!!

[notadmblnd]

2. isn't this the company with connections to Dick DeVos?

nt

[Demeter]

3. Haven't Found Any With Quick Search

but they sure have picked up a lot of fleas from those dogs they run around with:


http://www.custerbattles.com/press/releases.html

[Straight Shooter]

4. Please tell me these guys are Republicans. n/t

[w4rma]

5. I'd expect they'd have to be considering the Rethugs only seem to allow

buisnesses whose owners/executives donate to the Republican Party to get any government contracts.

[KittyWampus]

8. Yes, one ran for elected office the other brags about being in with Bush

I posted several threads months and months ago about Custer Battles.

Democrats need to push the corruption angle more. DU'ers haven't really risen to the occassion, either.

[krkaufman]

6. Why are the fraudulent bastids not in jail? n/t

[Opusnone]

7. Custer Battles, ha!

They should have known that would end badly.

Greedy right-wing assholes. All of them.