U.S. Seeks Seizure of Beverly Hills Mansion in Alleged $700 Million Fraud Case
The U.S. Justice Department has moved to seize a Beverly Hills mansion it says was bought with money tied to a massive fraud scheme involving fuel contracts for the U.S. military in Iraq and Syria.
According to the civil forfeiture complaint, a defense contractor allegedly secured more than $700 million from the Defense Logistics Agency through inflated fuel contracts during Operation Inherent Resolve. Investigators say the scheme involved bribing a senior Peshmerga official, General Mansour Barzani, with payments of 25 cents per liter in exchange for exclusive access to deliver jet fuel at Erbil International Airport, while competitors were shut out.
The Justice Department says about $30 million linked to the alleged scheme was moved through a trust and used to buy and renovate a luxury mansion in Beverly Hills. The government is now seeking to forfeit that property.
Federal investigators, including the FBI, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and IRS Criminal Investigation, are handling the case.
Officials say the action is part of a broader effort to target corruption, fraud, and money laundering tied to U.S. government funds.
The Justice Department also noted this is a civil complaint, meaning these are allegations, and the government still must prove the property is subject to forfeiture in court.
