It is amazing how many people have been gettting busted in recent years for corruption in contracting in Iraq:

An Army captain from Oregon pleaded guilty Monday to charges that he stole nearly $700,000 from the U.S. government while serving in Iraq.

U.S. District Court Judge Ancer Haggerty set sentencing for March 1 after Capt. Michael Dung Nguyen entered guilty pleas to theft and money-laundering charges. The maximum sentence for each offense is 10 years in prison and a $500,000 fine.

A federal grand jury indictment alleged that between April 2007 and February 2009, the 28-year-old stole more than $690,000 in U.S. currency entrusted to him as the battalion project purchasing officer in Muqdadiyah, Iraq.

The funds were designated for payment of security contracts as well as for urgent humanitarian relief and reconstruction.

Prosecutors say Nguyen mailed the stolen money to himself at his family’s Portland home before he returned from Iraq to Fort Lewis, Wash. Then, prosecutors say, he opened new accounts at several banks and deposited $387,550.

The indictment alleges Nguyen used some of the money to buy new vehicles along with computers, electronics and furniture.  [Seattle PI]

This guy is a small fry compared to some of the larger corruption cases that involve millions of dollars in bribes.  USFK is also well known for its corruption cases as well.

The CGSC blog is asking for ways for the Army to prevent such corruption.  I for one think in th Nguyen case that the oversight at the battalion level had to have been poor for this guy to steal so much money.  However, the larger corruption going on with contracting companies is the tougher nut to crack especially when so many former soldiers end working for these companies and using their contacts with in the service to make money for their new employers.