Soldiers Looted Millions from Army in Iraq and Afghanistan Wars

United States military personnel have been convicted for theft amounting to US$50 million during wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, a new review by the Center for Public Integrity reveals.

One scheme involved military personnel taking hundreds of thousands of gallons per year due for the military. According to the report, released Monday, soldiers were selling the U.S. military’s fuel to Afghan locals on the side, and pocketing the profit. Each truckload could be worth up to US$5,000.

Similar fraud schemes were applied in Iraq and approximately four fifths of the total convictions relate to theft that occurred in that country.

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The report is based on cases in which the military personnel has been convicted.

However, the U.S. inspector general has said these cases are only the tip of the iceberg, and that far more fraud has been committed than has been prosecuted.

There were still 327 active investigations into crimes by military personnel as of February, and officials investigating the cases believe that the total losses from these crimes will tally up to billions of dollars.

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Based on the court hearings and other information, experts believe that poor management within the military, loose oversight, a local culture of corruption, and a heavy dependence on cash transactions were elements that led to such widespread fraud.