U.S. man tied to fuel scam in Iraq

PALM BEACH, Fla., July 28 (UPI) -- A top Republican fundraiser was ordered to pay $28.8 million to a Jordanian royal in a lawsuit over fuel contracts to supply U.S. troops in Iraq, a court ruled.

A Florida court ordered Florida businessman Harry Sargeant III, a former U.S. Navy pilot and Republican Party fundraiser, to pay $28.8 million to Mohammad al-Saleh, brother-in-law of Jordan's King Abdullah II.

Saleh claimed Sargeant and an associate were involved in a million-dollar scheme against the Jordanian government, MSNBC reports. The money was allegedly used to secure a monopoly over fuel supply lines through Jordan to U.S. forces in Iraq.

The associate was a top terrorism adviser to former President George W. Bush, MSNBC said.

A congressional investigation into the deal and a subsequent audit by the U.S. Defense Department concluded that Sargeant's activity cost the U.S. military as much as $200 million.

A Florida jury found that Sargeant conspired to prevent Saleh from getting 30 percent of the profits from the fuel supply contracts from Jordan.

His defense team told MSNBC via e-mail that they were planning an appeal.

Source: United Press International (UPI).
Link: http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Energy-Resources/2011/07/28/US-man-tied-to-fuel-scam-in-Iraq/UPI-64051311854237/.