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POGO Statement on ArmorGroup Whistleblower Lawsuit Filed Today: State Department Accountability Remains Key Management Issue
September 10, 2009
Today, new allegations of deficiencies and contract violations by ArmorGroup North America (AGNA) were claimed in a complaint filed by former AGNA executive James Gordon in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. The contract is for security of the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, and was awarded by the Department of State in March 2007. The complaint documents the many occasions State officials were made aware of contract violations—including grave problems with the guard force and violations of the law and contract—yet those violations went uncorrected and, in many cases, grew worse.
State’s ongoing failure to correct proven contract deficiencies at the U.S. Embassy Kabul has apparently been a constant since the early days of the contract. According to the complaint, State officials were repeatedly informed about violations such as:
- Serious and chronic understaffing
- Language deficiencies that violated the contract and prevented communication among the guard force
- Numerous instances of making false statements, misrepresentations, and withholding information from State
- Jeopardizing the safety of the guard force via the purchase of cheaper, sub-par armored vehicles
“The complaint makes it clear that State can no longer suggest that it didn’t know what was going on,” said POGO Executive Director Danielle Brian.
Founded in 1981, the Project On Government Oversight (POGO) is an independent nonprofit that investigates and exposes corruption and other misconduct in order to achieve a more effective, accountable, open, and ethical federal government.
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