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The government awards contracts to companies with histories of misconduct such as contract fraud and environmental, ethics, and labor violations. In the absence of a centralized federal database listing instances of misconduct, the Project On Government Oversight (POGO) is providing such data. We believe that it will lead to improved contracting decisions and public access to information about how the government spends hundreds of billions of taxpayer money each year on goods and services. Report an instance of misconduct »

L-3 Communications

Court Martial of a Civilian Contractor

Date: 06/22/2008 (Date of Court Martial)

Misconduct Type: Other

Enforcement Agency: Defense – Army

Contracting Party: Defense - Army

Court Type: Criminal

Amount: $0

Disposition: Pleaded Guilty

Synopsis: In May 2008, the U.S. military ordered a court-martial for Alaa "Alex" Mohammad Ali, a civilian contractor employed as a translator for the Army by L-3 Communications Titan Group, on charges of aggravated assault. Ali was accused of stabbing another contractor during a fight on a base near Baghdad in February 2008. In June 2008, Ali pleaded guilty to wrongfully taking a knife owned by a U.S. soldier, obstruction of justice and lying to investigators (the assault charge was dropped in exchange for his plea), and a military court sentenced him to five months in jail. This is the first time a civilian has been tried by court-martial under a 2006 amendment to the Uniform Code of Military Justice, which states that civilian contractors working for the U.S. government can be punished for violations of the UCMJ.