AP: Army contractor to pay $8M in claims (Halliburton/KBR)

[Eugene]

Wednesday, November 29, 2006 · Last updated 9:56 a.m. PT

Army contractor to pay $8M in claims

By LARA JAKES JORDAN
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

WASHINGTON -- One of the government's largest military contractors will
pay $8 million to settle six-year old claims it overcharged the Army for
construction and other support services in the Balkans, the Justice
Department said Wednesday.

Kellogg, Brown & Root, a subsidiary of Houston-based Halliburton Co.,
was accused of double-billing the government and ordering unusable
products while helping build Camp Bondsteel in Kosovo, prosecutors said.

The contractor also allegedly inflated prices for some unspecified goods
that were not put out for competitive bid, the department said.

Prosecutors said those incidents occurred between 1999 and 2000.

-snip-

Full article: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1110AP_Military_Contracting_Fraud.html

No criminal charges filed.

[Binka]

1. That's Couch Change For These Bastards n/t

[dipsydoodle]

2. Whilst $8M is obviously a lot to any of us

it's quite trivial in context of similar occurences in Iraq. How come no criminal charges for conspiracy to commit fraud ?

[Ian_rd]

3. Let me guess: Overcharge 20 million, pay 8 million in fines. No brainer!

I don't have the numbers and my "20 million" is baseless. But I laugh at anyone who tells me that 8 million is the extent of the bilking our public treasury has received at the hands of Cheneyburton. This measely 8 million will only confirm for war profiteers that cooking the books is still very much worth their while.

It's the same philosophy with so-called "tort reform" to limit lawsuit rewards. Save 5 million by not screening your products for harmful chemicals, then pay a max $500,000 when you're hit with a class action lawsuit. No brainer! Proceed as before!

[underpants]

7. This was while Dick was the CEO right?

Add fraud to the list.

[SpiralHawk]

4. "Curses, this could cut into my war profits." - Dick 'Five Deferments' Cheney

[saigon68]

6. No he's a Fucking Draft Dodger

And Chicken Hawk

[Tempest]

5. Bush will give them a no-bid contract to cover the fine

With extra thrown in to cover the cost of defending themselves against the taxpayers.

[goforit]

8. Betwween 1999 and 2000? What about 2000 to 2006?

[NOLADEM]

9. Steal the castle, return a brick?

Sounds like a good deal to me.

Let me rob Fort Knox but I will return one gold brick to show my magnanimity.

[Hekate]

10. Where's the rest of it? So far this is just the cost of doing business for them

Probably has its own little line-item in their budget.

Well, let's see what Nancy and Our Gang can do with their new subpoena powers in the New Year. :-)

Hekate