Three US reserve army officers and two civilians have been charged by a US court for redirecting millions of dollars originally set aside for the reconstruction of Iraq to wealthy businessmen in return for personal luxuries. The gang was responsible for supervising how some $26 billion were to be spent for reconstruction projects in Iraq.

The three officers, Col. Curtis Whiteford, Lt. Col. Debra Harrison, and Lt. Col. Michael Wheeler, illegally channeled at least $8 million dollars into a construction and services company operated by US businessman Philip H. Bloom. US civilian Michael Morris acted as a middle man, wiring money and securing the goods. Bloom�s company would win rigged contracts awarded by the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA). This scam went on for two years. The other indicted civilian is Col. Harrison’s husband.

In return, Bloom furnished the group with over $1 million in cash, vehicles, jewelry, computers, airline tickets, alcohol, and promises of employment. The Deputy Attorney General Paul J. McNulty said, “This indictment alleges that the defendants flagrantly enriched themselves at the expense of the Iraqi people - the very people they were there to help.” Last week, former Pentagon contractor Robert Stein was jailed for nine years after pleading guilty to the scam.

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