Woman scams Pentagon for $20 million

COLUMBIA, S.C., Aug. 17 (UPI) -- The owner of C&D Distributors pleaded guilty in Columbia, S.C., to scamming the government out of $20.5 million by charging ludicrous amounts for shipping.

Defense contractor Charlene Corley, who is the co-owner C&D Distributors, charged the Pentagon hundreds of thousands of dollars to ship simple things like metal washers and lamps to military facilities during the war, the Washington Post reported Friday.

In one case, C&D Distributors was paid $998,798 in transportation costs for shipping two 19-cent washers.

Corley, 47 -- who used the money for luxury homes, cars, plastic surgery and jewelry and faces up to 20 years each for two counts of conspiracy -- wants reduce her potential jail time by cooperating with authorities, the Post said.

"It is a troubling case because the fraud took place during a time of war," said Kevin McDonald, the first assistant U.S. attorney for South Carolina. The $20 million "that could have gone to assist our military was diverted and used in a fraudulent manner for excessive personal enjoyment."