Erik Prince in the Hot Seat

nhboy

Ubi bene ibi patria
" ERIK PRINCE, founder of the now-defunct mercenary firm Blackwater and current chairman of Frontier Services Group, is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice and other federal agencies for attempting to broker military services to foreign governments and possible money laundering, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the case.

What began as an investigation into Prince’s attempts to sell defense services in Libya and other countries in Africa has widened to a probe of allegations that Prince received assistance from Chinese intelligence to set up an account for his Libya operations through the Bank of China. The Justice Department, which declined to comment for this article, is also seeking to uncover the precise nature of Prince’s relationship with Chinese intelligence.

Prince, through his lawyer, Victoria Toensing, said he has not been informed of a federal investigation and had not offered any defense services in Libya. Toensing called the money-laundering allegations “total bull####.”

The Intercept interviewed more than a half-dozen of Prince’s associates, including current and former business partners; four former U.S. intelligence officers; and other sources familiar with the Justice Department investigation. All of them requested anonymity to discuss these matters because there is an ongoing investigation.

The Intercept
also reviewed several secret proposals drafted by Prince and his closest advisers and partners offering paramilitary services to foreign entities. "

https://theintercept.com/2016/03/24/blackwater-founder-erik-prince-under-federal-investigation/
 

Hijinx

Well-Known Member
" ERIK PRINCE, founder of the now-defunct mercenary firm Blackwater and current chairman of Frontier Services Group, is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice and other federal agencies for attempting to broker military services to foreign governments and possible money laundering, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the case.

What began as an investigation into Prince’s attempts to sell defense services in Libya and other countries in Africa has widened to a probe of allegations that Prince received assistance from Chinese intelligence to set up an account for his Libya operations through the Bank of China. The Justice Department, which declined to comment for this article, is also seeking to uncover the precise nature of Prince’s relationship with Chinese intelligence.

Prince, through his lawyer, Victoria Toensing, said he has not been informed of a federal investigation and had not offered any defense services in Libya. Toensing called the money-laundering allegations “total bull####.”

The Intercept interviewed more than a half-dozen of Prince’s associates, including current and former business partners; four former U.S. intelligence officers; and other sources familiar with the Justice Department investigation. All of them requested anonymity to discuss these matters because there is an ongoing investigation.

The Intercept
also reviewed several secret proposals drafted by Prince and his closest advisers and partners offering paramilitary services to foreign entities. "

https://theintercept.com/2016/03/24/blackwater-founder-erik-prince-under-federal-investigation/

All a part of doing his type of business.
 

Gilligan

#*! boat!
PREMO Member
Still one of the MANY major mistakes of the Bush 43 era; contracting out military jobs.

It's still done to this day. And calling Blackwater a "mercenary firm" obfuscates the actual nature and scope of that company and it's operations. It's primary product was, initially, training. Training for various law enforcement agencies and non-military Federal orgs that maintain armed units...which is most of them nowadays. The security services side of the business came about as a result of direct requests by various US government entities and agencies - State Department in particular - and those same folks still hire those services now.
 

Larry Gude

Strung Out
It's still done to this day. And calling Blackwater a "mercenary firm" obfuscates the actual nature and scope of that company and it's operations. It's primary product was, initially, training. Training for various law enforcement agencies and non-military Federal orgs that maintain armed units...which is most of them nowadays. The security services side of the business came about as a result of direct requests by various US government entities and agencies - State Department in particular - and those same folks still hire those services now.

I would NEVER call them mercs. I believe most of their people to be as true blue as it gets. However, what they do, why they do it, has NOTHING to do with why it is, or is not, a good idea to privatize this, clearly, military function.
 

Gilligan

#*! boat!
PREMO Member
I would NEVER call them mercs. I believe most of their people to be as true blue as it gets. However, what they do, why they do it, has NOTHING to do with why it is, or is not, a good idea to privatize this, clearly, military function.

It's never been completely clear to me why the various agencies want to take that route. One plausible reason is the level of expertise and capability that they can hire whenever, and quickly, by stroking a simple contract.

Another aspect has to be that organizations like Blackwater can often do things that regular military units cannot (or should not) be doing. It is also for some of those "activities" that they keep getting thrown under busses.
 

Larry Gude

Strung Out
It's never been completely clear to me why the various agencies want to take that route. One plausible reason is the level of expertise and capability that they can hire whenever, and quickly, by stroking a simple contract.

Another aspect has to be that organizations like Blackwater can often do things that regular military units cannot (or should not) be doing. It is also for some of those "activities" that they keep getting thrown under busses.

In reading your comments, it does seem like it's clear to you! :lol: And those are the reasons I think it should NEVER have been done. I wrote at the time when this was all starting to come to light, contractors, that it was a bad idea and that we ought to be doubling people who pull triggers for Uncle Sam's salaries and let the older team guys move into these roles. That is what happened in terms of personnel but with the addition of private profit and the loss of accountability and proper status; that of the United States military.
 

Gilligan

#*! boat!
PREMO Member
In reading your comments, it does seem like it's clear to you! :lol: And those are the reasons I think it should NEVER have been done. I wrote at the time when this was all starting to come to light, contractors, that it was a bad idea and that we ought to be doubling people who pull triggers for Uncle Sam's salaries and let the older team guys move into these roles. That is what happened in terms of personnel but with the addition of private profit and the loss of accountability and proper status; that of the United States military.

I agree with you. But that's not reality
 

LightRoasted

If I may ...
If I may ...

. Highly skilled security forces doesn't work?

Naw, I like Soldiers of Fortune. Grew up reading that magazine. And really, it is what they are. Prior service personnel doing the same thing they did in uniform for much, much greater pay and way more flexibility with a lot, at times, more unaccountability.
 

Gilligan

#*! boat!
PREMO Member
If I may ...



Naw, I like Soldiers of Fortune. Grew up reading that magazine. And really, it is what they are. Prior service personnel doing the same thing they did in uniform for much, much greater pay and way more flexibility with a lot, at times, more unaccountability.

For various United States (emphasis mine) government agencies; State Department in particular.

I know guys that did (or now are) working as mercenaries - supporting the Kurdish forces, for example - but not under the auspices of any of the established US security and training companies.
 
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Larry Gude

Strung Out
That was going on long before W.

To what extent? And did it not explode during Iraq War IX or whatever chapter we were on in '03? Illegal immigration was going on prior to Dubbya. It exploded under him. I'm all for seeking out and understanding root causes and historical context. I'm just fairly comfortable saying the problem became YUGE after 2003. Yes, no?
 

Larry Gude

Strung Out
? What is "it"?

Ok, so, Bush 43 did or did not over see, was potus, when contracting exploded? I read a couple of pretty good books exploring the behind the scenes work and lobbying done by Prince and others to find their place at the trough.

Am I misinformed?
 
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