Bribery Alleged in Kabul Defense Contract

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (CN) - An employee of Civilian Police International solicited kickbacks to award a U.S. AID contract in Kabul, Afghanistan, federal prosecutors said. Ryan Scott McMonigle was indicted by a grand jury on charges of conspiring to solicit kickbacks and soliciting a kickback as part of U.S. AID's $1.4 billion Afghanistan Infrastructure Rehabilitation Project.

Civilian Police International trains police.

According to the complaint, in a meeting of two unnamed conspirators, Bryan Lee Burrows, and a member of a Technical Evaluation Committee, "Coconspirator-1 said that he, along with a fellow TEC member, was willing to vote to steer an upcoming security services subcontract to whichever vendor paid them $250,000, at a minimum. Coconspirator-1 sought Burrows' assistance in locating security companies to solicit and Burrows agreed to assist.

"During subsequent conversations between and among Coconspirator-1, Coconspirator-2, and Burrows, it was discussed how each would receive a share of the kickback. In a conversation between Burrows and McMonigle, McMonigle agreed to assist Burrows to identify security companies from which to solicit a kickback. In exchange for his assistance, McMonigle sought a share of the kickback. Burrows and McMonigle discussed how each would receive a share of the kickback."

They solicited a kickback from Vendor-1 in February this year, according to the indictment, and solicited a kickback from Vendor-2 in April.

Burrows, who is not further identified in the indictment, pleaded guilty on Sept. 2 to conspiring to soliciting a kickback in the scheme, the Justice Department said at the time. Burrows, 42, of Wagoner, Okla., faces up to 5 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000; his sentencing date had not been set as of Sept. 2.

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