Third arrest made in largest Iraq contract-rigging case yet

[The Straight Story]

Third arrest made in largest Iraq contract-rigging case yet
From the Associated Press July 26, 2007

SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- A third member of a Texas family has been arrested in connection with what a federal official says is the largest Army contract-rigging and bribery case to emerge from the Iraq reconstruction effort.

Carolyn Blake, a former schoolteacher, was charged Wednesday with laundering money and conspiring to accept $3.1 million in bribes from contractors.

Blake is accused of working with her brother, Maj. John L. Cockerham, a contracting and procurement officer assigned to Fort Sam Houston, who was arrested Monday on charges that allege he took $9.6 million in kickbacks and anticipated receiving $5.4 million more for rigging military supply contracts.

His wife, Melissa Cockerham, 40, was also arrested Monday on charges she accepted bribery payments for her husband and helped conceal them.

http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=37578&dcn=todaysnews

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1. treasonous. nt