Operation Ill Wind

{{See also|Suicide of Tom Pappas}}

Operation Ill Wind was a three-year investigation launched in 1986 by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation into corruption by U.S. government and military officials, and private defense contractors. Charles "Chuck" Duff was the sole Air Force Action Officer responsible for developing, coordinating and implementing Air Force actions relating to the Department of Justice's "Ill Wind" procurement fraud investigation. Government officials, private individuals and companies were eventually convicted of various crimes including nine government officials, 69 Washington consultants and 7 military contractors,{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/26/us/m-r-paisley-77-dies-bid-rigging-figure.html |title=M. R. Paisley, 77, Dies; Bid-Rigging Figure - The New York Times |work=The New York Times |date= 26 December 2001|accessdate=2020-01-19|last1=Marquis |first1=Christopher }} as well as executives at GE, Boeing and United Technologies.{{Citation

|url=http://washingtondc.fbi.gov/dojpressrel/pressrel05/fraud021805.htm/fraud021805.htm

|title=Combatting Procurement fraud

|date=February 18, 2005

|publisher=U.S. Department of Justice

|accessdate=2008-11-12 }} (archived from [http://washingtondc.fbi.gov/dojpressrel/pressrel05/fraud021805.htm the original] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060925215512/http://washingtondc.fbi.gov/dojpressrel/pressrel05/fraud021805.htm |date=2006-09-25 }} on 2006-09-25).{{Cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-06-25-mn-4992-story.html |title=Tapes of Alleged Pentagon Bribery Reported by NBC - latimes |website=Los Angeles Times |date=25 June 1988 |access-date=2020-02-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160609212719/http://articles.latimes.com/1988-06-25/news/mn-4992_1_pentagon-officials |archive-date=2016-06-09 |url-status=live }}

Melvyn Paisley, appointed Assistant Secretary of the Navy in 1981 by Republican President Ronald Reagan,{{Cite web |url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20099625,00.html |title=Archived copy |access-date=2013-11-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303234335/http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0%2C%2C20099625%2C00.html |archive-date=2016-03-03 |url-status=dead }} was found to have accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes. He pleaded guilty to bribery and served four years in prison.{{cite web |url=http://govwin.com/anthonycritelli_blog/this-day-in-govcon-history/131183 |title=This Day in GovCon History, June 14, 1988: "Operation Ill Wind" Raids |accessdate=2016-01-04 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109194354/http://govwin.com/anthonycritelli_blog/this-day-in-govcon-history/131183 |archivedate=2013-11-09 }}

James E. Gaines, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy, took over when Paisley resigned his office.{{cite web |url=http://www.public.navy.mil/bupers-npc/reference/messages/Documents/NAVADMINS/NAV2001/nav01214.txt |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2015-08-01 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160106133854/http://www.public.navy.mil/bupers-npc/reference/messages/Documents/NAVADMINS/NAV2001/nav01214.txt |archivedate=2016-01-06 }} Gaines was convicted of accepting an illegal gratuity and theft and conversion of government property. He was sentenced to six months in prison.{{Cite news |last=Ap |date=1992-06-01 |title=Ex-Official Sentenced |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/06/01/business/ex-official-sentenced.html |access-date=2023-02-09 |issn=0362-4331}}

Victor D. Cohen, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force, was the 50th conviction obtained under the Ill Wind probe when he pleaded guilty to accepting bribes and conspiring to defraud the government.{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-08-23-mn-1071-story.html |title= News|date=1991 |website= Los Angeles Times|access-date=2020-01-19}}

Most worked for Unisys, pleading guilty to eight felonies, including the use of fraud, bribery and illegal campaign contributions to obtain billions of dollars in defense contracts.{{Citation

|url = http://www.publicintegrity.org/wow/bio.aspx?act=pro&ddlC=59

|title = Windfalls of War: Unisys Corporation

|publisher = The Center for Public Integrity

|year = 2007

|accessdate = 2008-11-12

|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20071215105158/http://www.publicintegrity.org/wow/bio.aspx?act=pro&ddlC=59

|archivedate = 2007-12-15

|url-status = dead

}} Other top officials worked for Lee Telecommunications and Teledyne.[https://apnews.com/1989/Defense-Consultant-Vows-toJohn Marlowe-Fight-Ill-Wind-Charges/id-0cd8152f8a012c22191ac5adc080ad5f]

The scandal led the United States Congress to pass the 1988 Procurement Integrity Act,{{Citation

|url = http://www.usdoj.gov/jmd/ethics/docs/48cfr3104111.htm

|title = 48 cfr 3.104-1 - 11

|publisher = U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

|accessdate = 2008-11-12

|url-status = dead

|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080921114903/http://www.usdoj.gov/jmd/ethics/docs/48cfr3104111.htm

|archivedate = 2008-09-21

}} which regulates the pay that procurement officials can receive from contractors during the first year after they leave government, and forbids them providing bid and proposal information to their new employers.{{Citation

|url=http://www.govexec.com/features/0704-15/0704-15s2.htm

|title=Closing Doors

|author=George Cahlink

|publisher=govexec.com

|date=July 15, 2004

|accessdate=2008-11-12

|archive-date=2008-07-06

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080706162540/http://www.govexec.com/features/0704-15/0704-15s2.htm

|url-status=dead

}}