An independent contractor for a U.S.-based trucking company operating in Afghanistan pleaded guilty Friday in federal court to offering a U.S. Army serviceman $54,000 in bribes.
Virginia resident Akbar Ahmad Sherzai was responsible for delivering fuel to Army installations.
He admitted offering bribes to a serviceman in exchange for false documents for fuel shipments that Army records show never happened.
The phony delivery records allowed Sherzai’s company to receive payments and avoid costly penalties.
Each no-show delivery would have resulted in a fine by the U.S. government of $75,000.
“In April 2013,” the DOJ said, “Sherzai approached a U.S. military serviceman to discuss fuel delivery missions that had been classified by the U.S. Army as no-shows.”
“The serviceman, under the supervision of law enforcement, continued to meet with Sherzai to discuss payments for the falsification of records,” the DOJ said.
In total, Sherzai paid $54,000 in cash to falsify 14 deliveries.
U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Loretta E. Lynch said, “The defendant sought to use deception, corruption and greed to enrich his company at the risk of jeopardizing the U.S. Army’s supply lines in Afghanistan. Attempts to corrupt American officials will not be tolerated, either at home or abroad.”
Sherzai faces up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
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Julie DiMauro is the executive editor of FCPA Blog and can be reached here.
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