SOCom bribery scandal widening

[DoYouEverWonder]

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

[chat_noir]

1. Senators call for 2nd look at $20M

They want to know why the Pentagon ended an inquiry of SOCom, accused of hiding $20-million at MacDill Air Force Base.


TAMPA - A powerful Senate committee wants to know why Pentagon investigators ended a criminal inquiry of hidden funds at MacDill Air Force Base without determining whether any laws were broken.

Dissatisfied with the findings of a two-year investigation, the Senate Armed Services Committee is demanding a more thorough review.

Investigators looked into allegations that in 2002 the Special Operations Command at MacDill (oversees the nation's secret commando units and is at the forefront of the war on terror) hid $20-million from Congress at the request of the Pentagon comptroller.

At the end of the criminal investigation last month, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Tampa did not file charges and refused to say why. A separate noncriminal investigation, or audit, by the Pentagon is continuing.

http://www.sptimes.com/2005/10/14/Hillsborough/Senators_call_for_2nd.shtml

[bemildred]

2. Corruption? In the US' military procurement process? Who knew? nt