PITTSBURGH -- A former executive for a defense contractor with ties to Democratic U.S. Rep. John Murtha has been charged by federal prosecutors in Pittsburgh with taking about $200,000 in kickbacks from a subcontractor.
Team 4's Paul Van Osdol reported that Coherent Systems International Corp. CEO Richard Ianieri was also charged in Florida, and the case there goes into much greater detail.
Three years ago, Murtha announced that Kuchera Industries and Coherent were working together on more than $30 million in contracts from their offices in Windber, Somerset County.
Federal court records show a different side to the relationship, saying that Coherent got an $8 million Air Force contract -- an earmark from Murtha -- and then gave $1.8 million to companies that had nothing to do with the contract.
Among the recipients:
Kuchera got $650,000 for "prototype cards" that were not part of the project. Gensym -- a company with an office in Johnstown -- got $300,000 for software that was never used. Vidiafusion -- a Florida company -- got $275,000 for software that was never used.Coherent, Kuchera, Gensym and Vidiafusion all used KSA Consulting as their lobbyist. KSA's lobbyists included Murtha's brother, Kit.
Gensym, Vidiafusion and Kuchera have not been charged with any wrongdoing.
In January, federal agents raided Kuchera's Windber property. Kuchera CEO Bill Kuchera is a longtime friend and campaign contributor to Murtha.
In response to the Florida charges, Murtha's spokesman said, "We had no knowledge of these disturbing transactions, and if they are true, then the individuals and companies in question should be held accountable under the law."
Last year,
Team 4 tried to ask Murtha about another controversial earmark -- the National Drug Intelligence Center in Johnstown
"Congressman, can you respond to the criticism that people say NDIC is just a pork barrel program?" Van Osdol asked in May 2008, to which Murtha responded, "No comment. How's that?"
Ianieri is accused of taking kickbacks from a subcontractor identified only as "K" in court documents. His attorney told Van Osdol that Ianieri will be in court on Tuesday and may cooperate with prosecutors.
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