Robert J. Stein, a former Coalition Provisional Authority comptroller and financial officer, has been charged with receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes and kickbacks:
Along with a web of other conspirators who have not yet been named, Mr. Stein and his wife received “bribes, kickbacks and gratuities amounting to at least $200,000 per month” to steer lucrative construction contracts to companies run by another American, Philip H. Bloom …
Much of this money was intended for Iraqi construction projects like building a new police academy in the ancient city of Babylon and rehabilitating the library in Karbala, the southern city that is among the holiest sites for Shiite Muslims.
After Mr. Stein awarded contracts for this work to Mr. Bloom, who eventually received at least $3.5 million himself, according to the complaint, the work often was not performed or was done shoddily, the prosecutors say.
Stein was hired by the C.P.A. despite having despite having served prison time for felony fraud in the 1990s. More from the New York Times (registration required).
Recent Comments