US Army major indicted on Iraq bribery charges

WASHINGTON, Aug 23 (Reuters) A US Army major, his wife and sister were indicted on charges they accepted millions of dollars in bribes for Defense Department contracts in Iraq and Kuwait.

The indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Texas charges John Cockerham, his wife, Melissa, and his sister Carolyn Blake, with defrauding the US government, bribery, money laundering, obstruction of justice and conspiracy while Cockerham was a contracting officer in Kuwait in 2004 and 2005.

The Justice Department said that Cockerham, his wife, Blake, and unidentified co-conspirators accepted payments totaling 9.6 million dollars in exchange for contracts for bottled water and other goods and services for US troops in Iraq and Kuwait.

Cockerham guaranteed that a contractor would receive a contract in return for a payment, according to the Justice Department. It added that his wife and sister deposited the money in bank accounts and safe deposit boxes in Kuwait and Dubai.

If convicted on money laundering and conspiracy charges, all three could face up to 20 years in prison and fines totaling 750,000 dollars each.

Cockerham could also receive a sentence of up to 15 years in prison if found guilty of bribery.

Cockerham and his wife have been held since July 22 when they were arrested at their home at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio.

Blake was arrested three days later in Dallas.

REUTERS CS BST0525