Posted on 12/08/2009 1:44:26 PM PST by La Enchiladita
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - An Army captain from Oregon pleaded guilty Monday to charges that he stole nearly $700,000 from the U.S. government while serving in Iraq.
U.S. District Court Judge Ancer Haggerty set sentencing for March 1 after Capt. Michael Dung Nguyen entered guilty pleas to theft and money-laundering charges. The maximum sentence for each offense is 10 years in prison and a $500,000 fine.
A federal grand jury indictment alleged that between April 2007 and February 2009, the 28-year-old stole more than $690,000 in U.S. currency entrusted to him as the battalion project purchasing officer in Muqdadiyah, Iraq.
The funds were designated for payment of security contracts as well as for urgent humanitarian relief and reconstruction.
Prosecutors say Nguyen mailed the stolen money to himself at his family's Portland home before he returned from Iraq to Fort Lewis, Wash. Then, prosecutors say, he opened new accounts at several banks and deposited $387,550.
The indictment alleges Nguyen used some of the money to buy new vehicles along with computers, electronics and furniture.
During a search of the family's home, investigators found more than $300,000 of the stolen currency hidden in the attic, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
(Excerpt) Read more at komonews.com ...
Looks like Dung stepped in it.
Should have buried it in his backyard. Dummy.
In every war there are illegal activities involving military personnel. Those are the war stories you don’t hear.
I heard of some incidents re the black market trade in Iraq. I stopped writing to one soldier when he started requesting enormous amounts of women’s underwear....
My friend Ted Nguyen has already told me how this has disgraced his family name . To have it known that he saved less than half of what he brought home is almost more shame than can be borne.
Yeah, they don't tolerate competition very well.
Also, at least it wasn't one of those evil contractors doing it.
for some, that is a reason to START writing!
Shhhhh..... don’t ask, don’t tell:)
Who is Ted? Does he work for O-bozo?
Was there no Paying Agent? I deployed with a purchasing officer once. I was given an ammo can full of cash and book of blank receipts. The PO bought, I paid, and we BOTH signed the receipts. When we got back, we had to balance the cash and receipts...
I remember our guys found trucks full of gold bars and boxes cut to fit $1M in $100 bills. From the headline I was hoping someone had found a way to “liberate” that. Stealing from Saddam is one thing, stealing from Mother Army is something else.
LOL
It seems like there would be a team doing the job, instead of trusting just one individual....
“Oddball” used too much language out of time for 1944. He came off sounding like a 60s hippy.
From the name, prehaps His Father taught Him something from the last War.
Oddball was one of the best parts of the movie.
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