U.S. Uncovers Iraq Bribe Case - Army Major, Wife, Sister Charged in Alleged Contract Scam

The Washington Post ^ | August 22, 2007 | Dana Hedgpeth

[RDTF]

U.S. officials call it the largest bribery case to come out of the Iraq war. But where did the $9.6 million go?

Prosecutors say an Army major from Texas who worked as a contracting officer took bribes from military contractors, having his wife and sister collect money on his behalf. Investigators allege the three received $9.6 million and expected to get $5.4 million more from at least eight contractors for giving them favorable contracts.

Maj. John L. Cockerham, 41, of San Antonio, was charged with conspiracy, money-laundering and bribery. Cockerham's wife, Melissa, 40, also of San Antonio, and his sister, Carolyn Blake, 44, of Sunnyvale, Tex., were charged with money-laundering and conspiracy. All three have pleaded not guilty.

With $44 billion spent so far on the reconstruction of Iraq after the U.S.-led invasion in 2003, relatively few corruption cases have surfaced, and none rivals this one. The office of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction has found cases of fraud that led to 13 arrests. Eight cases await trial, and 26 others are under investigation by the Justice Department. Federal authorities said they expect to arrest more civilians and military personnel in similar schemes.

The Cockerhams and Blake were arrested in late July after investigators searched the Cockerhams' house at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio and allegedly found evidence linking them to the bribery scheme. Aspects of the case read like a spy novel: a briefcase with $300,000 in cash in a Kuwaiti parking lot; handwritten ledgers that identify money sources with code names like Destiny Carter; and instructions telling co-conspirators to, in a pinch, toss safe-deposit keys out a window, stash key documents in the bosom and, lastly, destroy the instructions.

-snip-

[RDTF]

Maj. John L. Cockerham, deployed to Camp Arifjan near Kuwait City in June 2004, was given the authority to approve contracts up to $10 million

[Bringbackthedraft]

Drop the contracts, send all the conspirators and contractors to the two Levenworths.

[poobear]

What a curious story. I’d say there are a lot more people involved. Love the theatrics in the courtroom and the defense line, “we were going to start a church in South Africa, one like Oprah Winfrey’s”

Paper trails everywhere including banks in Kuwait, South Africa and the Caribbean. Wow!

[moonman]

"U.S. officials call it the largest bribery case to come out of the Iraq war".

Has Jesse or Al been there yet?

[vietvet67]

“Blake told investigators the money was to be used to set up a church, according to the affidavit.”

Bet this church would continue the stealing of money...

[DilJective]

This POS probably has a long history of shady activity. He also, as a Commissioned Officer, has had a security clearance level of at least SECRET, which means he has had access to information that could have been compromised. I hope the investigators look at his entire career and information he had access to, in case he sold classified info just like he sold out his country.

Usually, there is some signal for people like this- affluent lifestyles above their salaries and/or problems with creditors. Someone in the unit must have suspected something.

[RC2]

Do I see Diane Fienstien’s husband’s company in here some place?

[B4Ranch]

ping