posted by Christopher W. Holton
I must warn you before you read the linked story below from the New York Times: it may make you sick to your stomach.
If true, the chain of stupid decisions and corruption, along with the web of political connections, paint a picture that is hard to believe.
Why is it that everyone with close ties to the Clintons ends up indicted?
Here are the high…er…lowlights and link to the article…
To Feed U.S. Troops, Businessman Violated Iran Sanctions, Charges Say
A wealthy businessman who until recently was head of the company that feeds American troops in Afghanistan has been charged in federal court with violating sanctions against trade with Iran, along with other offenses.
The federal indictment charged Abul Huda Farouki, 75, a Jordanian-American and philanthropist from Virginia with longstanding ties to Bill and Hillary Clinton, with conspiracy to commit money laundering, violating sanctions against Iran, and fraud.
The charges involving Anham make a series of legal cases against the three major food service companies serving American troops in Afghanistan since 2005.
Also charged in the case were Mr. Farouki’s brother, Mazen Farouki, 73, the owner of a closely associated company, and Salah Marouf, 71, who owned a company that did business with the Farouki brothers’ firms.
After Anham won the food services contract in Afghanistan in 2012, the previous contractor, Supreme Group, complained that Anham was undercutting Supreme by, among other things, saving costs by shipping through Iran. Supreme Group later itself pleaded guilty to inflating prices on goods to Afghanistan in 2012. Another food service company, Agility, had been banned from renewing its contract in 2009 after an indictment for fraudulent accounting.
…officials credited a 2013 article in The Wall Street Journal with prompting the investigation. The article detailed Anham’s efforts to circumvent Iranian sanctions and save on costs by shipping through Iran, and it was based on internal emails from Anham.
According to a statement from the Department of Justice, Mr. Farouki and his co-defendants saved money on their supply contracts by shipping through Iran and then denied having done so to the Department of Defense after they became aware The Journal was about to publish its article, which also appeared based on information from a company insider.
Mr. Farouki was close to the Clintons and was a major contributor to the Clinton Foundation and other Democratic causes.
Anham had previously been criticized by inspectors in Iraq for overbilling the Defense Department for services there.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/05/world/asia/us-military-contractor-iran-sanctions.html
