Security Companies Doing Business in Iraq (No, really - read this)

[Solly Mack]

"The U.S. government assumes no responsibility for the professional ability or integrity of the persons or firms whose names appear on the list." - US State Department

Full list at link

AD Consultancy

Description of Services:

Risk and threat assessment, close protection teams/bodyguards, asset protection, secure commodity escort, travel and escort security, residential and premises security, aviation security, maritime security, oil and gas industry security, surveillance and counter surveillance.


Control Risks Group

Description of Services:

Control risk is a leading international business risk consultancy with 30 years experience of supporting more than 5,300 clients in over 130 countries. We currently have an office in Baghdad providing major governmental and corporate clients with a range of services, including security management, discreet armed protection, and information support.


Custer Battles (Gotta love that name)

Description of Services:

Security services, life supports, construction, logistics, transportation, and personal security details.

[babylonsister]

1. Custer Battles is deep into someone's pockets:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Custer_Battles

snip//

Allegations of fraud in Iraq

CPA case

In October 2004, a lawsuit by Robert Isakson and William Baldwin was unsealed against Custer Battles. The suit, brought under the False Claims Act, alleged massive overbilling on two contracts with the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq in 2003.<5>

In July 2005, Judge T.S. Ellis III ruled that Custer Battles' contracts with the CPA were prosecutable under the False Claims Act, denying Custer Battles' lawyers claims that the company had no contract with the US government. The Judge also ruled that money paid for by the Development Funds for Iraq (DFI) could not be prosecuted under the False Claims Act, as the US government was not involved in administering these funds.

In March 2006, a jury found Custer Battles liable for the submission of 30 false claims, each one of which is subject to a US$5,000 -11,000 civil fine. However, in August 2006, Judge Ellis, of the Federal District Court in Alexandria, Va overturned the verdict on a technical grounds. While Judge Ellis had previously concluded that specific CPA funds were fair game for False Claims Act prosecution, he found that the Relators in this case had failed to prove the Custer Battles actually submitted the claims for payment. This case made huge headlines across the nation.<6>

Baghdad Airport case

Another trial, with the same set of whistleblowers, concerned a separate $16.8 million contract awarded to Custer Battles to provide security at Baghdad International Airport. As this contract was paid for by seized Iraqi funds, Judge Ellis ruled that the entire contract was susceptible to the False Claims Act, and not just part of it in the previous case. The basic allegations were that Custer Battles had failed to provide adequate security staffing under its Firm-Fixed Price contract of $16.8 million.

In February 2007, Judge Ellis dismissed the case and ruled that there was no evidence of fraud on Custer Battles part. "Judge Ellis found that Custer Battles never specified how many security personnel it would provide. He said Custer Battles initially provided more than 138 workers and received glowing performance evaluations."<7> The Relators are planning to appeal the decision to the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals.

more...

[Solly Mack]

2. Thanks!

good thing the state department put up that disclaimer.

Unreal...

[babylonsister]

3. IIRC Custer Battles was one of the first companies investigated for

fraud, long before the Dems won in 06. I seem to remember a hearing being aired.
So now those other firms are worthy of investigating.

[Solly Mack]

4. I agree

disgusting

[flyingfysh]

5. Custer Battles got off

An American court decided that only the "Coalition Authority" (or something like that) had the standing to file a complaint for fraud. And since they hadn't done so, there was nothing the American court could do.

I think I remember this one correctly.