2005.11.17: November 17, 2005: Headlines: COS - Philippines: Business: Iraq: Crime: News Journal: Philippines RPCV Phil Bloom charged in Iraq Contracts Case
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2005.11.17: November 17, 2005: Headlines: COS - Philippines: Business: Iraq: Crime: News Journal: Philippines RPCV Phil Bloom charged in Iraq Contracts Case
- 2006.08.11: August 11, 2006: Headlines: COS - Philippines: Iraq: Crime: Harper's Magazine: Philippines RPCV Philip Bloom implicated as co-conspirator in an indictment against Robert J. Stein, an employee of the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq in 2003 and 2004 Monday, April 02, 2007 - 7:00 am [1]
- 2004.11.01: November 1, 2004: Headlines: COS - Philippines: Speaking Out: Iraq: Vivid: Philippines RPCV Phil Bloom writes: War in Iraq continues with no peace in sight Monday, April 02, 2007 - 6:56 am [1]
- 2004.05.30: May 30, 2004: Headlines: COS - Philippines: Business: Iraq: Crime: Iraq Reconstruction: Philippines RPCV Phil Bloom writes: There are bascially two (2) way's to do business in Iraq Monday, April 02, 2007 - 6:55 am [1]
Philippines RPCV Phil Bloom charged in Iraq Contracts Case
Philip H. Bloom, a U.S. citizen who has lived in Romania for many years, was arrested recently at Newark International Airport in New Jersey. He made a brief appearance Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Washington and remains in federal custody. Prosecutors at the court hearing did not detail the charges against Bloom, but U.S. Magistrate Judge Deborah Robinson said they involve money laundering and conspiracy to defraud the government. A government affidavit alleges that Bloom conspired with officials of the Coalition Provisional Authority and U.S. military to rig bids for contracts in Al-Hillah and Karbala, two cities 50 to 60 miles south of Baghdad.
Philippines RPCV Phil Bloom charged in Iraq Contracts Case
Businessman Charged in Iraq Contracts Case
Published on: 11/17/2005 Last Visited: 11/17/2005
Philip H. Bloom, a U.S. citizen who has lived in Romania for many years, was arrested recently at Newark International Airport in New Jersey. He made a brief appearance Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Washington and remains in federal custody.
Prosecutors at the court hearing did not detail the charges against Bloom, but U.S. Magistrate Judge Deborah Robinson said they involve money laundering and conspiracy to defraud the government.
...
A government affidavit alleges that Bloom conspired with officials of the Coalition Provisional Authority and U.S. military to rig bids for contracts in Al-Hillah and Karbala, two cities 50 to 60 miles south of Baghdad.
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Bloom transferred $140,000 to a North Carolina realty firm in March 2004 on this official's behalf, the affidavit said.
The second person, who also worked on contracts in that office, has been cooperating with investigators along with an Iraqi business owner who worked in Al-Hillah. The CPA ran Iraq from just after the invasion in March 2003 until June 2004.
One of the officials is in the Defense Department, said a government official who did not want to be named because court documents are under seal.
At one point, Bloom was allegedly paying at least $200,000 a month to CPA officials and others, although the affidavit does not say for how long.
Projects won by Bloom's companies included a new police academy for Al-Hillah and renovation of the public library in Karbala.
The affidavit did not include the entire value of all contracts awarded to Bloom's companies, but said he received at least $3.5 million between January and June of last year.
Bloom is described on a Web site for one of his companies as a former PepsiCo executive in Europe and an early Peace Corps volunteer who has lived in Romania for many years.
"Bloom and his staff ... are at the center of the Iraq reconstruction effort, providing the utmost performance in brokering, contracting, creating and developing projects for the cream of the crop," according to the Web site for Baltazar, Bloom and Pirvulescu, a Romanian financial consulting firm.
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Headlines: November, 2005; Peace Corps Philippines; Directory of Philippines RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Philippines RPCVs; Business; Iraq; Crime
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