WASHINGTON — Two former employees of Blackwater Worldwide have accused the private security company of defrauding the government for years by filing bogus receipts, double billing for the same services and charging government agencies for strippers and prostitutes, according to court documents unsealed this week.
In a December 2008 lawsuit, the former employees said top Blackwater officials had engaged in a pattern of deception as they carried out government contracts in Iraq and Afghanistan, and in Louisiana in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
The lawsuit, filed under the False Claims Act, also asserts that Blackwater officials turned a blind eye to “excessive and unjustified” force against Iraqi civilians by several Blackwater guards. The documents detailing the Davises’ accusations were unsealed after the Justice Department declined to join in the case against Blackwater, which last year changed its name to Xe Services. A Xe spokeswoman did not return a message seeking comment about the case. According to the lawsuit, Ms. Davis raised concerns about the company’s bookkeeping with her bosses in March 2006, when she was handling accounts for the company’s contracts with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Homeland Security. The lawsuit claims she was told to “back off,” and that she “would never win a medal for saving the government money.”
Ms. Davis also asserts that a Filipino prostitute in Afghanistan was put on the Blackwater payroll under the “Morale Welfare Recreation” category, and that the company had billed the prostitute’s plane tickets and monthly salary to the government.
Outraged yet? Do we have a President that will remedy this? Probably not.
I don’t know why its such a big deal that they got a hooker for their men. Legitimate moral booster for guys stuck over there for months if not years at a stretch.
Hookers and blow: it’s a given….doesn’t the government spend that on it’s own troops anyways?…..but for the double-billing for the same services….now THAT’s an outrage!
Uh, these are highly paid contractors, not poorly paid enlisted men. There’s the difference.
Is that the photo of the Easter egg hunt from last year where the 4 year old girl in the blue dress stole the two eggs from Ron Emanuel and Ron complained to Barack so bitterly that something just had to be done?
This is just one more reason for America’s economic decline. Jobs that should be going to American hookers are being outsourced to foreign hookers.
Lets be clear about this. They are goddamned mercenaries. They spill blood for dollars. They exist because of a vacuum of balls in Washington that wants insulation from repercussions so they can keep getting elected. Jesus, it’s like making deals with the Mafia. The CIA tried that before to knock off Castro. The hitters took the money and laughed. What you going to do, sue us.
RTaylor said,
They exist because of a vacuum of balls in Washington that wants insulation from repercussions so they can keep getting elected.
No they exist because they are cheaper than US soldiers. Most Blackwater mercenaries are from much poorer countries where they can pay much less and if one of the mercs gets killed the remaining family are probably ignorant of the fact that they can get money from Blackwater.
Of course Blackwater took the “Philip-Morris/Altria” route and changed their name when they got a bad reputation so Blackwater doesn’t exist any more. They are now “Xe Services LLC.”
#4 “poorly paid enlisted men” Please! Show me jobs that don’t require college that provide security and returns like the military.
Add the benefits as well. My job doesn’t pay me separately for clothes, house, wife and kids.
At least these were patriotic Americans fighting for their country. Whats wrong with a little R&R.
Actually based on the article there doesn’t seem to have been any blow.
Having the sex issue taken care of in house by a professional has several advantages over having them messing around with the locals and I think we have a rape case against a co-worker that is working its way through the legal system? I think it’s best to avoid that kind of thing if at all possible.
Of course if any of our readers wish to set up a company and hire some real nice guys to do this kind of work more power to you.
Now I understand why all Philippine Passport has a Stamp “Not Valid for Travel to Iraq”
Adam’s dream job.
1. this is a Private agency.
2. there are almost as many Blackwater as USA soldiers.
3. ITS A CORP, Charging FULL USA DOLLARS AND COSTS…someone is getting rich, but not the guy on the ground.
4. responsibility?? TO WHO?? NOT to the USA military..NOT to the USA country..
#9. “Show me jobs that don’t require college that provide security and returns like the military.”
I’m guessing you’re not a veteran.
#15 Nope, but that’s what my military friends have told me. If you’re frugal you can keep a lot of the benefit pay and live like 2x your nominal salary. Decent medical benefits too.
If you test out well you can also pick a specialty that will give you security clearance and tech training that will help you get a very limited competition job that pays well when you leave.
Oh, and the military gets steady 3-4% raises each year. If you compare that to anything private sector with those entry requirements it isn’t bad.
What this is new?
What Part of you assholes in government fucking hired mercenaries did you not understand?
Lets build the worlds largest mercenary army and then hand over all our money to some unknown entity…. Great Idea I feel so much more secure now.
“Of course Blackwater took the “Philip-Morris/Altria” route and changed their name when they got a bad reputation so Blackwater doesn’t exist any more.” I thought the sane thing. Maybe they use the same PR people. Have a Toyota name change contest and don’t forget to send your pennies to Washington in time for AIG bone us payments soon. It’s like an idiot gestapo running Washington in cahoots with the mob. Send more cash to bankrupt NYC so the brokers can buy blow and whores. At least with these guys you get security or the appearance of it. It’s one bad idea after another.
Note: Rip off the money that is supposed to go to China first guys. It’s better off going to raise hell in Carolina. Ripping off Wall Street is fine too. Wall Street is ripping off Wall Street itself. Maybe you can help. The downside is when the security breaks apart from the fraud, we end up with some landmark blown apart. At least you guys all got a $17 million bonus and free shoes if you are a pro-playa.
Chris,
The Enlisted are paid very little, and every aspect of their lives, for better or worse, is controlled by superiors, circumstances, and rules.
Some thrive, and some fail, and the rest make it as long as they can. To imply it is easy is glib.
We liberals warned you conservatives that using mercenaries to fight our wars was a really boneheaded idea.
Blow and tug are probably the least of their offences. Wholesale weapons sales to tribal faction in Iraq and Afghanistan, smuggling heroin and money laundering for the Virginians could make their franchise a little shaky.
How does one go about applying to this fine, upstanding organization?
#21. Yes, and now that you Lieberals are in power what have you done about it? Change it?
the answer is NOTHING…….
Stop blame game, fix the fucking problem.
The Romans stopped expanding its military and instead opted for military contractors (Barbarians) to protect the frontier. After awhile the Barbarians realized their position….and then proceeded to sack Rome.
this FROM A NATION THAT CANT KEEP 1% OF ITS PEOPLE IN THE MILITARY.
#28 Pedro, what’s the rest of that quote from Biden, and in what context? Forgive me for mistrusting you, but with all due respect, I’ve seen some of your comments, and I absolutely don’t trust that you’ve accurately represented his remark. After all, we know that in the fullest sense, no one could possibly have been more aggressive in the Middle East than the prior administration that invaded a country to overthrow its government, so I’m guessing that Biden probably had a more limited scope in mind when he made that remark. For instance, if he had been talking about diplomacy, the statement would be so obviously true that it wouldn’t merit mention.
Do tell. If Biden made yet another huge gaffe, we’d love to share your chuckle, but at least we’d like to know that it’s based on an accurate quote.
Was Limbaugh or Beck laying out some Biden love this week? It seems like the usual suspects are fixated on old Joe suddenly.
#31 Pedro, your hint is virtually meaningless. I’m merely giving you the opportunity to show that you didn’t misrepresent the Vice President’s comments by excluding important contextual information. I’d hate to think that the boy who always cries “Sheeple!” isn’t actually the one trying to mislead others, but the more you evade the question, the more difficult it is to give you the benefit of the doubt.
No, you guys are definitely obsessed with Biden this week. And you really should not call yourself dull.
for the amount these BOSS’s are making at Blackwater we should be able to pay GOOD money to our military.