Dusty Foggo Pleads Guilty

Former CIA executive director Kyle “Dusty” Foggo, once the agency’s third-ranking official, on Monday pleaded guilty to one count of honest services wire fraud. He admitted using his position to help his buddy Brent Wilkes, owner and founder of defense contractor ADCS, get fat defense contracts. From the DOJ Press Release (via Market Watch):

Throughout the years-long scheme, Foggo had a standing offer for a high-level, high-paying position with his best friend Brent Wilkes (who is currently serving a 12-year sentence imposed following his conviction in the Southern District of California for bribing former Congressman Randall “Duke” Cunningham). Foggo admitted that he allowed Wilkes to conceal their close relationship by adopting false cover stories regarding their relationship and using “straw men” and shell companies to conceal Wilkes’s interest in CIA contracts. As described in the indictment, Foggo caused the CIA to enter into these lucrative contracts without disclosing his interests.

The plea agreement follows a superseding indictment in May which piled on more counts (earlier), but Jerry Markon’s Washington Post article (here) suggests that Foggo got a good deal after his defense team threatened to introduce highly sensitive intelligence information if the case went to trial. Foggo’s sentencing is scheduled for January 8, 2009 before US District Judge James Cacheris in Alexandria; prosecutors are recommending no more than 37 months in prison.