Suffolk (Va.) soldier says he stole bus, 8 trucks, more in Iraq

[Blue_Tires]

Source: Virginian-Pilot

An Army captain from Suffolk pleaded guilty Monday to a federal charge of stealing Department of Defense equipment, including a bus, eight trucks and five trailers, and selling them to an Iraqi businessman.

Elbert W. George III, 36, admitted that he committed the conspiracy while stationed in Iraq. He and an accomplice made between $400,000 and $1 million, according to court records filed in the case.

George pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Alexandria to one count of conspiracy to steal government property. He faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine when he is sentenced in July.

The accomplice, Sgt. 1st Class Roy Greene Jr., 32, of Sylvester, Ga., pleaded guilty to the same charge last week.

George served as a logistics officer for the military transition team at Forward Operating Base Paliwoda, Iraq, from August 2007 through July 2008. In that job, he was responsible for obtaining supplies for his unit.

George and Greene had the authority to obtain supplies and equipment from the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Office, which is responsible for disposing of excess military equipment. The surplus property is typically donated to state or local governments in the United States or to the Iraqi military.



Read more: http://hamptonroads.com/2009/05/suffolk-soldier-says-he-stole-bus-8-trucks-more-iraq

[Soylent Brice]

1. lovely. the funny thing is that

there is a pretty big possibility there are countless other things of this nature taking place.

5 yrs seems kind of lenient to me.

the $250k fine seems kind of ignorant too considering how much they profited.

[onehandle]

2. The invasion of Iraq was the biggest scam in history.

And we are picking up the tab. This sort of thing is nothing compared to the corporate theft that Bush supported perpetrated over there, but it sure is easy in such a lawless area of the world.

[Blue_Tires]

4. was and continues to be....

[Robb]

3. Saved on postage

...instead of the old "mail a Jeep home in parts" routine, sell 'em local.

[proteus_lives]

5. Graft is part of humankind.

There is ALWAYS someone out there looking to make a little extra on the side.