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14.02.2007 15:41:20
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Коррупционное дельце в ЦРУ
Добрый день!
По коррупционному делу конгрессмена Каннингхэма соучастником проходит, оказывается, бывший испольнительный директор ЦРУ Кайл Фогго. Вместе с Каннингхэмом участвовал в сборе откатов с компаний - производителей спецоборудования.
February 14, 2007
DOW JONES REPRINTS
CIA Ex-Officer, Contractor
Indicted in Corruption Probe
By SCOT J. PALTROW
February 14, 2007; Page A12
A federal grand jury indicted a former senior official of the Central Intelligence Agency and a defense contractor, raising the stakes in the investigation of corrupt federal contracting for the Bush administration and several lawmakers.
Two indictments were returned by a federal grand jury in San Diego. One accused Kyle "Dusty" Foggo, the CIA's former third-ranking official, and defense contractor Brent Wilkes, a close friend of his, of committing conspiracy and other charges stemming from CIA contracts that Mr. Foggo allegedly arranged for Mr. Wilkes. The other indictment charged Mr. Wilkes and another businessman with paying bribes to former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham. Mr. Cunningham pleaded guilty in November 2005 to soliciting bribes from Mr. Wilkes and others and is serving a federal prison sentence.
The indictments indicate the prosecution of corruption in federal contracting is in full swing, despite the recent dismissal of at least one federal prosecutor involved in the inquiries.
The indictments also represent something of an embarrassment to the Bush White House, which helped put Mr. Foggo in his senior CIA position. President Bush chose former Rep. Porter Goss to be CIA director in 2004, and Mr. Goss, in turn, plucked Mr. Foggo from his position as a midlevel CIA manager to be the agency's executive director, in charge of day-to-day operations.
The indictment alleges that Mr. Foggo had secretly steered contracts to Mr. Wilkes, who used "shell companies" and "straw men" to profit from the contracts. Mr. Foggo allegedly failed to disclose the relationship and involvement with the contracts to the CIA, according to the indictments. Mr. Foggo is accused of accepting from Mr. Wilkes -- and not disclosing -- expensive gifts, including vacations in Hawaii and Scotland, meals and cigars. Mr. Wilkes also allegedly promised Mr. Foggo a high-paying job with one of his companies once Mr. Foggo left the CIA.
One of the main contracts involved providing water to CIA personnel in the Middle East. Mr. Foggo allegedly pressured a businessman, not named in the indictment, who already had CIA contracts, to take Mr. Wilkes's companies on as subcontractors.
Mark Geragos, Mr. Wilkes's lawyer, said the indictment pins down publicly the charges he faces and means "we will finally be able to confront them head on in the courtroom."
Mr. Foggo's lawyer, Mark MacDougall, didn't return several phone calls seeking comment. In the past, Mr. MacDougall has said that Mr. Foggo committed no crime.
The indictments come two days before U.S. attorney Carol Lam is to leave office in San Diego. Ms. Lam recently pressed for the indictments to be returned before she steps down. In an unusual move during the middle of a president's term, the Bush administration recently demanded her resignation and those of at least six other U.S. attorneys around the country. Congressional Democrats have charged that the changes were motivated by politics and may interfere with pending investigations. The Justice Department has denied any intent to interfere with investigations.
Mr. Goss left the CIA in May, under pressure from the White House, and Mr. Foggo quickly followed. Federal agents last year searched Mr. Foggo's CIA office and home.
In a written statement, CIA Inspector General John Helgerson said his office had participated in the investigation.
The indictment of Mr. Wilkes for allegedly bribing Mr. Cunningham says he funneled $700,000 in bribes to the lawmaker in exchange for Mr. Cunningham's help in obtaining $100 million in government contracts. It also alleges that Mr. Wilkes in 2003 rented a $6,600-per-night suite in a Hawaiian hotel, with Mr. Cunningham and an unnamed individual as guests. It charges that on two successive nights Mr. Wilkes paid for the use of three prostitutes in the suite by Mr. Cunningham and himself. The Wall Street Journal had reported in 2006 that Mr. Wilkes was under investigation for providing Mr. Cunningham with prostitutes.
The indictment and its details would seem to heighten the risk to other members of Congress still under investigation; Mr. Wilkes also had dealings with several of them.
A separate federal criminal investigation of Rep. Jerry Lewis, the California Republican who until January 2006 was chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, is continuing in Los Angeles. Prosecutors in that case are looking at Mr. Lewis's relationship with Mr. Wilkes, which included campaign contributions from Mr. Wilkes and associates and the hiring by Mr. Wilkes of a lobbying firm founded by one of Mr. Lewis's closest friends, former Rep. Bill Lowery.
Messrs. Lewis and Lowery have denied wrongdoing. The indictment has only passing references to other lawmakers, none of whom it names, and doesn't make any allegations against them.
Write to Scot J. Paltrow at scot.paltrow@wsj.com1
С уважением, Василий Кашин