The U.S. Department of Defense just updated its Encyclopedia of Ethical Failure, and boy does it contain some doozies.
Taking a Blackhawk to lunch? Russian-bride scam? Faking your own death? It's got them all.
There are more than a hundred case studies included in the publication, so we picked 18 that were particularly eye-opening.
The following accounts are taken directly from encyclopedia, and none of the language or the (sometimes humorous) titles were changed.
An offshore safety inspector traded repair contracts for time with a lady of "dubious morals."
Abuse of Position: "But, Judge, I didn't get anything!"
"An offshore safety inspector found much of the Government’s equipment to be in need of repairs to meet safety standards. He then referred the business to his brother-in-law's repair shop. The rig operators smelled a rat and called the FBI. They discovered that, in return for each referral, the brother-in-law was treating the inspector to an evening with a lady of dubious morals.
The case was brought to trial. In his defense, the inspector claimed that he had not received a "thing of value" in return for the referral. The judge didn't buy it - and neither did his wife."
Source:Encyclopedia of Ethical Failure, U.S. Department of Defense
Employees bought electronics on government card, then sold them for profit.
Bribery: Fraud, Conspiracy, and Bribery … Oh My!
"Criminal charges put a computer contractor out of business and landed government employees in jail. Two civilian employees at a Military Depot, along with the contractor’s government sales manager, were convicted on various conspiracy and bribery charges for defrauding the U.S. Government under multiple contracts in return for cash and merchandise.
The employees were part of a scheme in which they used government funds to purchase laptops and recycled computer components from the contractor’s sales manager at inflated prices, and split the overcharged amounts among themselves. One employee received prison time, three years probation, and was ordered to pay $30,000 in restitution. The other employee was sentenced to 22 months in jail, three years of probation, and ordered to pay $18,000.
The sales manager received a similar sentence. The computer contractor was indicted on nine felony counts and subjected to asset forfeiture of approximately $7.8 million. The charges were later withdrawn after the company filed for bankruptcy. The investigation also resulted in five other individuals charged with prison time and ordered to pay a combined $127,000 in restitution."
Source: Encyclopedia of Ethical Failure, U.S. Department of Defense
A Sergeant-at-Arms traded contract grants for flights to Hawaii.
Improper Compensation — Sergeant at-Arms of the United States Senate Takes Free Flight to Hawaii
"The Sergeant-at-Arms is the chief purchasing agent for the Senate and in that capacity he recommended that the Senate purchase and install a $219,000 AT&T telephone system for the U.S. Capitol Police. Three weeks later, he accepted a round‑trip Washington‑Honolulu airline ticket, valued at $2,700, from an AT&T employee.
He pled guilty on November 18, 1992, to one misdemeanor count of violating 18 U.S.C. 203 and was sentenced to one year of supervised probation, to pay full restitution of $2,700, and a $5,000 civil fine."
Source: Encyclopedia of Ethical Failure, U.S. Department of Defense
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