Two new U.S. government reports show that as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan wind down, the number of people being indicted and convicted for reconstruction-related crimes is going up.
In the last 13 months, the office of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction has secured the indictment of 22 people for bribery, kickbacks and other alleged wrongdoing in Iraq. A total of 69 such indictments have been handed down since the office started work in 2004.
A report by the special inspector general for Afghanistan says the recent conviction of a former soldier was the single largest bribery case since that war began.
Both reports were released Sunday. One official says the number of prosecutions is rising as investigators gain experience and develop networks of sources.
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