Ex-Army colonel convicted in helicopter contracting scheme

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Federal prosecutors say a former U.S. Army colonel who oversaw a contracting program has pleaded guilty to providing false statements and conflict of interest.

Authorities said Monday that 49-year-old Norbert Vergez managed a program at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville that was responsible for contracts involving helicopter procurement.

Prosecutors say Vergez had a subordinate create a backdated document to get a contractor to authorize a $3.67 million payment to a subcontractor. Authorities also say Vergez didn't disclose in ethics forms that a representative from the subcontracting company had given his wife a Rolex watch. Prosecutors say Vergez also didn't disclose that he accepted a job offer from a private company and had been given a check for $30,000 from that company.

A sentencing date hasn't been set.

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