Contractor stole millions in fuel from U.S. in Iraq
WASHINGTON — On Oct. 7, a former Defense Department contractor pleaded guilty to
stealing $39.6 million from the U.S. Army in Iraq. The contractor,
identified as Lee William Dubois, entered his plea to one count of theft of
government property in the U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Va.
Dubois, a captain in the U.S. Army until July 2007, was hired on Sept.
23, 2007, by a Pentagon contractor based in Kuwait, Middle East Newsline reported. His job, which lasted
until March 2008, was said to represent the contractor's interests with
regard to new projects in Iraq.
In his plea, Dubois admitted that between July 2007 and May 2008 he and
unidentified co-conspirators used fraudulently-obtained documents to enter
the Victory Bulk Fuel Point [VBFP] in Camp Liberty, Iraq. He then presented
false fuel authorization forms to steal aviation and diesel fuel for
subsequent sale on the black market.
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"To retrieve and transport the stolen fuel from the VBFP, Dubois
admitted he and his co-conspirators employed approximately 10 individuals to
serve as drivers and escorts of the trucks containing the stolen fuel," the
Justice Department said. "For two months during the scheme, Dubois admitted
he served as the lead escort for the stolen fuel."
In all, officials said, Dubois and his co-conspirators stole 10 million
gallons of fuel worth $39.6 million. They said Dubois, who faces up to 10
years in prison, gained at least $450,000 in personal profits from the
subsequent sale of the fuel on the black market.
Officials said Dubois represented the latest defendant in several cases
that involved the stealing of fuel and other supplies from the U.S. military
in Iraq. They said much of the theft also takes place in Kuwait, the
logistics and supply center of the U.S. military in Iraq.
