Robert Stein, Jr.

Who is Robert Stein, Jr.?

Robert Stein, Jr. was employed as a comptroller for the Coalition Provisional Authority in South Central Iraq despite being a convicted felon. In his personal dealings with uncorrupted members of the CPA staff he was usually obnoxious, vain and simple. Stein, of Fayetteville, N.C., was charged with fraud and accepting kickbacks on November 15, 2005, and pled guilty to the charges. He was sentenced on January 29, 2007, to 9 years in prison and ordered to forfeit $3.6 million for his role in the bribery and fraud scheme.

Stein, Lieutenant Colonel Bruce D. Hopfengardner, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Brian Wheeler and Lieutenant Colonel Debra Harrison were accused of accepting kickbacks of up to $200,000 per month from Philip Bloom, in return for corruptly obtained contracts.

A New York Times article, commenting on Stein's administration of reconstruction funds from Iraq's oil revenue, said:

"For reasons that the Pentagon has so far declined to clarify, Stein was hired as a comptroller by the Coalition Provisional Authority and put in charge of $82 million for reconstruction, despite his conviction for felony fraud in the 1990s."

A summary of the Bloom/ Stein conspiracy was published by the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction as an appendix to is October 30, 2006 Quarterly Report to the United States Congress. The conspiracy is estimated to have defrauded the Coalition Provisional Authority of more than $8.6 million.