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Justice Department Blows Defense Contractor Corruption Case, Gives Up
U.S. District Judge Richard Leon has granted the Justice Department's request to dismiss charges against nearly all two dozen defense contractor employees charged with bribery, who had been caught in an undercover sting operation.The defendants were military contractors arrested at a 2010 trade show in Las Vegas where they anticipated picking up checks for sales to outfit Gabon's presidential guard. It was the first time a sting operation had been used since the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act was created in 1977. Ten defendants had gone through two lengthy and expensive trials but none were convicted by juries, and 16 more were awaiting trial. Two of seven defendants trials ended with a hung jury and were facing a second trial. Three others were acquitted, with nine additional defendants awaiting an initial trial. Three other defendants had plead guilty in the case, and are awaiting sentencing. Ironically, though these last three plead guilty to avoid the threat of harsh sentences, they have almost no chance of prevailing if they appeal those sentences, though the case has collapsed. Posted by: Anonymoose 2012-02-22 |
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