Obama's Kunundrum
Obama's Kunundrum
Date: Tuesday, March 17, 2009 2:21 AM
<<<<< JOB DESTRUCTION NEWSLETTER No. 1991 -- 3/17/2009 >>>>>
Obama has made so many disastrous appointments it's a tough call to determine
which one is the worst, but certainly his nomination of Vivek Kundra as the
federal chief information officer (CIO) should be at the top of the list. This
appointment is so bad it will be interesting to see if Obama manages to remain
unscathed by the scandal. The mainstream press is ignoring the story but don't
expect it to stay obscure for long because this one is gonna blow!
Here is a brief summary of the characters involved in this one.
----- Vivek Kundra -----
Kundra, who was born in New Delhi, is a 34-year-old Indian American that
became a naturalized citizen. Kundra held a similar position for the city of
Washington D.C. Kundra took a leave of absence soon after the FBI raided
Kundra's office. Kundra is being investigated for corruption, bribery,
favoritism, and bid rigging for city contracts. Lots of work in Washington DC
has gone to Indian contractors and it appears that Kundra is one of the main
reasons.
As the FBI raid took place, Kundra was giving a speech at FOSE - an annual
government technology expo - about changing the way the government purchases
materials from vendors. Another change to believe in, thanks to Obama!
----- Sushil Bansal -----
Bansal is an Indian national who is working in the U.S. on an H-1B visa. He is
the CEO of a company called Advanced Integrated Technologies Corp.
(AITC) that outsources work to India. It's going to be an interesting story
how he got that H-1B visa. My guess is that he probably sponsored himself,
which is illegal. Bansal got AITC classified as a minority owned business, and
used that designation to full advantage in order to win lucrative Washington
D.C. contracts. The FBI is very curious why Bansal got double the number
contracts once Kundra got the job in Washington D.C. One of the AITC contracts
was to provide computer support to the D.C. Department of Motor Vehicles.
Believe it or not, Washington DC is using a foreign national for driver's
licenses! Bansal was arrested and ordered to surrender his passport.
----- Yusuf Acar -----
Acar is a native of Turkey (present visa status not known). Acar works as the
Chief Security Officer (CSO) for the District of Columbia. Can you imagine
that? Somebody from Turkey is in charge of security for Washington DC! It gets
worse though -- he is also their Information Systems Security Officer (ISSO).
Acar was a top lieutenant to former DC CTO Vivek Kundra, which is just one of
the reasons the FBI had him arrested. Yusuf Acar was charged with bribery of a
public official, money laundering, wire fraud, and conflict of interest.
Be sure to read these two politically incorrect blogs about the situation:
http://blog.vdare.com/archives/2009/03/13/bring-in-indians-get-curry-smells/
Bring in Indians: Get Curry Smells
http://blog.vdare.com/archives/2009/03/14/the-curry-still-smells/
DC Indian Outsourcing Scandal: Smelling Worse
REFERENCES:
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9129642
Instant analysis: Bribery case may undo Kundra's Web 2.0 vision
http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/39660
Cisco CCNA - Yusuf Acar busted by FBI as perp in federal bribery sting
http://www.wtop.com/?nid=596&sid=1622618
Obama appointee on leave after FBI raid, arrests
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2009/03/12/city-authorized-13m-in-payments-to-charged-contractor/
City Authorized $13M in Payments to Charged Contractor
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/4230348.cms
Obama names Indian American Vivek Kundra as White House IT chief
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Note from Rob: the web page has lots of graphics and Acar's resume!
http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/39660
Cisco CCNA - Yusuf Acar busted by FBI as perp in federal bribery sting By Brad
Reese Created Mar 12 2009 - 2:09pm
According to a report [1] in the Washington Post, Cisco CCNA Yusuf Acar who is
currently employed as the Chief Security Officer (CSO) and/or Information
Systems Security Officer (ISSO) of the Government of the District of Columbia
[2], has been busted by the FBI in a federal bribery sting. FBI agents found
$70,000 in Acar's Northwest D.C. home when they arrested [3] him this morning.
Now here's what I find oddly interesting: Yusuf Acar appears not to have any
security certifications or experience, according to my research [4].
How in the heck do you think he got hired at a salary of $127,468 per year to
be an Information Systems Security Officer (ISSO)? Acar is certified as a
Cisco CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) and MCSE (Microsoft Certified
Systems Engineer). He previously worked [4] as an Optical Network Engineer at
both GTSI and Lightwave Communications as well as a Network Administrator at
New Call.
According to the DC Office of the Chief Technology Officer organizational
chart below, Acar was a top lieutenant to former DC CTO Vivek Kundra, who was
recently appointed [5] by President Obama to the new position of U.S.
CIO (Chief Information Officer):
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9129642
Instant analysis: Bribery case may undo Kundra's Web 2.0 vision
His future as first federal CIO may be in question Patrick Thibodeau March
13, 2009 (Computerworld) WASHINGTON - The future of Vivek Kundra as the first
federal CIO may be in doubt as a result of the bribery charges leveled against
the District of Columbia's IT security chief and the CEO of a contractor. The
case will raise questions on everything from Kundra's management approach to
his views on offshore outsourcing.
That Kundra took a leave of absence within hours of the FBI's raid on his
former offices, where he worked as the District's chief technology officer, is
the most obvious sign of the trouble ahead. According to court documents, the
case is nothing more than a straightforward financial crime committed by two
people. But that's only the starting point for peeling this onion.
Let's begin with the contractor, Advanced Integrated Technologies Corp.
(AITC). Its CEO, Sushil Bansal, was arrested in connection with the case.
AITC received a lot of work from the District of Columbia. The only "case
studies" and press releases on the company's Web site concern IT projects for
the District. Court documents show that since 2004, the company has done more
than $13 million in business with the District. One contract, which began in
July 2008 and is listed on the D.C. government Web site, was for "services"
that are "not to exceed $10,000,000." Kundra was appointed in 2007.
AITC is listed by the District as being "small, local disadvantaged" on the
contract, which means it's qualified to receive preferred procurement and
contracting opportunities. But while AITC may be based in D.C., the company
touts its offshore operations in India. Does that still count as local?
What made AITC's capabilities stand out in this competitive market?
Did AITC send District IT work offshore? If that's the case, will Kundra, as
federal CIO, encourage U.S. agencies -- and by extension, commercial
businesses -- to send IT work offshore?
The management abilities of Yusuf Acar, the acting chief IT security officer
who was arrested, are open to question, too. Was something missed in the
background checks? Hello, auditors?
Kundra wants to move IT in new directions and onto new platforms, and he's
established himself as a visionary. But this bribery case will bring to the
forefront questions about his capabilities as a manager.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
http://www.wtop.com/?nid=596&sid=1622618
Obama appointee on leave after FBI raid, arrests March 13, 2009 - 6:20am
Law enforcement officers search the D.C. Office of the Chief Technology
Officer. (Photo courtesy of Channel 4) Mark Segraves, WTOP Radio
WASHINGTON - An employee of the D.C. Office of the Chief Technology Officer
and a private contractor were charged with corruption Thursday after an FBI
raid at the former office of one of President Obama's appointees, Vivek
Kundra.
Kundra is on leave from his White House job until further details of the
case become known, a White House source tells the Associated Press.
Kundra has not been linked to Thursday's raid.
Yusuf Acar, 40, acting chief security officer of the D.C. Office of the
CTO, was charged with bribery of a public official, money laundering, wire
fraud and conflict of interest.
Acar was ordered held without bond until a hearing Tuesday.
FBI agents found $70,000 in Acar's Northwest D.C. home when they arrested
him Thursday morning.
Acar, a native of Turkey, is responsible for buying D.C.'s computer
equipment and hiring contract workers for various D.C. agencies. Acar, who
has been with the agency since December 2004, has an annual salary of
$127,468, according to charging documents.
Sushil Bansal, President and CEO of Advanced Integrated Technologies
Corporation (AITC) and a former D.C. government employee, was charged with
bribery of a public official, money laundering, wire fraud and conflict of
interest.
Bansal, 41, was released but ordered not to engage in overseas financial
transactions and had to surrender his passport. Bansal, of Dunn Loring,
Va., is due back in court on April 21.
Government records show Bansal, a native of India, is not a U.S. citizen
and holds an H-1B visa, which is given to foreign workers in specialty
occupations.
Authorities say Acar and Bansal, along with others, used a variety of
schemes to defraud the D.C. government, including billing the District for
inventory that was never delivered and billing "ghost" contract employees
who never worked.
The alleged scheme involved Acar approving falsified bills and then
splitting the money with Bansal - who submitted them - and other vendors,
according to charging documents.
The FBI worked with another D.C. Office of the CTO employee who was in on
the scheme and secretly recorded conversations with Acar and Bansal as part
of the investigation.
Several other individuals and businesses are involved in the alleged
schemes, but an FBI affidavit supporting the arrest warrants only
identifies them by their initials.
Bansal's company has offices in D.C. and India and received more than $13
million in business with the D.C. government in the past five years,
according to court documents.
One contract involved providing computer support to the D.C. Department of
Motor Vehicles. The company also was given a contract to upgrade the city's
city.
In 2008, Bansal received the Entrepreneur of the Year Award from the
Association of Indians in America, according to AITC's Web site.
Last week, Kundra resigned from his post as D.C. chief technology officer
to take a job in the Obama administration as the federal government's chief
information officer.
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said the Department of Justice
told the White House on Thursday morning of its planned raid.
However, Gibbs declined to comment on whether the White House was aware of
the investigation before Thursday.
AITC has been working with the D.C. government since 2004. Once Kundra took
over as D.C. Chief Technology Officer in March 2007, AITC's contracts
doubled to more than $5 million in 2008.
Kundra has also worked for Science Applications International Corporation
(SAIC). During his time at SAIC, Kundra provided consulting services at the
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
On AITC's Web site, Bansal lists SAIC as one of AITC's strategic partners
and says his firm has performed contract work for HHS.
On Thursday morning, the FBI served a search warrant at the office of
D.C.'s Chief Technology Officer.
More than a dozen FBI agents - including evidence technicians - were at the
office, located at 1 Judiciary Square on 4th Street in Northwest.
Most of the employees were told to go home. Other employees were put into a
waiting room.
The FBI later expanded its search from 9th floor offices to 10th floor
offices.
The 10th floor was closed to the public while the FBI searched the offices
that house the Administrative Services Modernization Program.
As the raid took place, Kundra was giving a speech at FOSE - an annual
government technology expo - about changing the way the government
purchases materials from vendors.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
WASHINGTON - An employee of the D.C. Office of the Chief Technology Officer
and a private contractor were charged with corruption Thursday after an FBI
raid at the former office of one of President Obama's appointees, Vivek
Kundra.
Kundra is on leave from his White House job until further details of the
case become known, a White House source tells the Associated Press.
Kundra has not been linked to Thursday's raid.
Yusuf Acar, 40, acting chief security officer of the D.C. Office of the
CTO, was charged with bribery of a public official, money laundering, wire
fraud and conflict of interest.
Acar was ordered held without bond until a hearing Tuesday.
FBI agents found $70,000 in Acar's Northwest D.C. home when they arrested
him Thursday morning.
Acar, a native of Turkey, is responsible for buying D.C.'s computer
equipment and hiring contract workers for various D.C. agencies. Acar, who
has been with the agency since December 2004, has an annual salary of
$127,468, according to charging documents.
Sushil Bansal, President and CEO of Advanced Integrated Technologies
Corporation (AITC) and a former D.C. government employee, was charged with
bribery of a public official, money laundering, wire fraud and conflict of
interest.
Bansal, 41, was released but ordered not to engage in overseas financial
transactions and had to surrender his passport. Bansal, of Dunn Loring,
Va., is due back in court on April 21.
Government records show Bansal, a native of India, is not a U.S. citizen
and holds an H-1B visa, which is given to foreign workers in specialty
occupations.
Authorities say Acar and Bansal, along with others, used a variety of
schemes to defraud the D.C. government, including billing the District for
inventory that was never delivered and billing "ghost" contract employees
who never worked.
The alleged scheme involved Acar approving falsified bills and then
splitting the money with Bansal - who submitted them - and other vendors,
according to charging documents.
The FBI worked with another D.C. Office of the CTO employee who was in on
the scheme and secretly recorded conversations with Acar and Bansal as part
of the investigation.
Several other individuals and businesses are involved in the alleged
schemes, but an FBI affidavit supporting the arrest warrants only
identifies them by their initials.
Bansal's company has offices in D.C. and India and received more than $13
million in business with the D.C. government in the past five years,
according to court documents.
One contract involved providing computer support to the D.C. Department of
Motor Vehicles. The company also was given a contract to upgrade the city's
city.
In 2008, Bansal received the Entrepreneur of the Year Award from the
Association of Indians in America, according to AITC's Web site.
Last week, Kundra resigned from his post as D.C. chief technology officer
to take a job in the Obama administration as the federal government's chief
information officer.
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said the Department of Justice
told the White House on Thursday morning of its planned raid.
However, Gibbs declined to comment on whether the White House was aware of
the investigation before Thursday.
AITC has been working with the D.C. government since 2004. Once Kundra took
over as D.C. Chief Technology Officer in March 2007, AITC's contracts
doubled to more than $5 million in 2008.
Kundra has also worked for Science Applications International Corporation
(SAIC). During his time at SAIC, Kundra provided consulting services at the
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
On AITC's Web site, Bansal lists SAIC as one of AITC's strategic partners
and says his firm has performed contract work for HHS.
On Thursday morning, the FBI served a search warrant at the office of
D.C.'s Chief Technology Officer.
More than a dozen FBI agents - including evidence technicians - were at the
office, located at 1 Judiciary Square on 4th Street in Northwest.
Most of the employees were told to go home. Other employees were put into a
waiting room.
The FBI later expanded its search from 9th floor offices to 10th floor
offices.
The 10th floor was closed to the public while the FBI searched the offices
that house the Administrative Services Modernization Program.
As the raid took place, Kundra was giving a speech at FOSE - an annual
government technology expo - about changing the way the government
purchases materials from vendors.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2009/03/12/city-authorized-13m-in-payments-to-charged-contractor/
City Authorized $13M in Payments to Charged Contractor
Posted by Mike DeBonis on Mar. 12, 2009, at 4:27 pm
LL s been eyeballing city purchase orders this afternoon, trying to suss
out some more information about Sushil Bansal (pictured), arrested in
connection to the OCTO corruption probe, and his company, Advanced
Integrated Technologies Corp. (AITC).
Long story short, they ve done a lot of business with the city.
According to publicly downloadable city records -- thanks, Vivek! -- the
city has authorized more than 160 payments to AITC since 2004 totaling over
$13 million. That s quite a bit more city business than the $350,000
reported by WTOP earlier.
Most of those purchase orders -- more than $10 million worth -- were
submitted by OCTO; in addition, the Department of Motor Vehicles submitted
$1.1 million (AITC had done work on DMV s Destiny computer system), and
the transportation department submitted a $97,500 contract in 2005. About
$1.7 million in payments were authorized for "equipment leases." (Note that
just because the payments have been authorized doesn t mean they ve
thus far been paid in full; work could still be underway or yet to start or
the contracts could have been modified.)
AITC s city earnings have been steadily on the rise. In 2004, the
District submitted $612,058 in purchase orders to be paid to the company.
In 2005, that figure rose to $1,583,888, and in 2006, rose still further to
$2,799,426. In March 2007, Vivek Kundra took the reins at OCTO; AITC
billings stayed fairly level that year, at $2,824,191. In 2008, however,
AITC s city business nearly doubled, to $5,062,096. So far in 2009, city
agencies have submitted three contracts with the company totaling about
$300,000.
Another city database lists 14 positions filled since November by AITC
under OCTO s Information Technology Staff Augmentation program. For two
of those positions, both systems-security-related, the person was to report
to Yusuf Acar, the OCTO employee arrested early this morning.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/4230348.cms
Obama names Indian American Vivek Kundra as White House IT chief
5 Mar 2009, 1209 hrs IST, ECONOMICTIMES.COM
WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama on Thursday named Vivek Kundra, a
34-year-old Indian American, as the federal chief information officer (CIO)
at the White House to advance the administration's technology agenda.
"Vivek Kundra will bring a depth of experience in the technology arena and
a commitment to lowering the cost of government operations to this
position," Obama said.
"I have directed him to work to ensure that we are using the spirit of
American innovation and the power of technology to improve performance and
lower the cost of government operations," he said.
"As Chief Information Officer, he will play a key role in making sure our
government is running in the most secure, open, and efficient way
possible."
A White House announcement noted the CIO directs the policy and strategic
planning of federal information technology investments and is responsible
for oversight of federal technology spending.
The Federal CIO establishes and oversees enterprise architecture to ensure
system interoperability and information sharing and ensure information
security and privacy across the federal government.
The CIO will also work closely with the chief technology officer to advance
the president's technology agenda, it said.
New Delhi-born Kundra formerly served in Washington DC Mayor Adrian Fenty's
cabinet as the chief technology officer (CTO) for the capital city,
responsible for technology operations and strategy for 86 agencies.
He has been recognised among the top 25 CTOs in the US and as the 2008 IT
Executive of the Year for his pioneering work to drive transparency, engage
citizens and lower the cost of government operations.
Kundra is also recognised for his leadership in public safety
communications, cyber security and IT portfolio management.
Before Kundra came to the capital, Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine
appointed him assistant secretary of commerce and technology, the first
dual cabinet role in the state's history.
Kundra's diverse record also includes technology and public policy
experience in private industry and academia. He is a graduate of the
University of Virginia's Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership and
holds an MS in information technology from the University of Maryland.
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