Probe of Defense Contractors Revealed : Some Suppliers Accused of Trafficking Secret Documents

Federal officials say the indictment of a former Boeing Co. official is part of a broader investigation into how defense contractors allegedly obtained secret Pentagon documents showing which weapons may be purchased.

The probe is separate from the ongoing “Ill Wind” investigation of bribery and influence-peddling in the awarding of Defense Department contracts.

The case became public Tuesday when Richard Lee Fowler, a former Boeing official, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Alexandria, Va., on 39 counts of theft, conspiracy and fraud arising from his alleged trafficking in classified documents.

“It’s part of a continuing investigation by the Department of Defense inspector general’s office into how certain contractors and their employees have illegally trafficked in classified documents,” a Pentagon official said Thursday, speaking on condition of anonymity.

“How Fowler obtained these documents is the subject of further investigation,” he said.

The 68-page indictment alleges that Fowler, while he worked for Boeing in Washington as a senior marketing analyst from 1978 to 1986, obtained hundreds of the Pentagon’s most sensitive documents.

Those papers included Air Force and Navy directives, along with the Pentagon’s five-year budget plan, the main defense spending blueprint used by the secretary of defense, Joint Chiefs of Staff and civilian service leaders, the indictment charged.

In addition, the indictment alleges, Fowler obtained three National Security Council decision directives signed by former President Reagan. Those documents are normally closely held.

Fired by Boeing

The three documents all dealt with the Strategic Defense Initiative, a proposed shield against nuclear attack, the indictment said.

Although Fowler had a security clearance, he did not have authority to have access to those papers, the indictment said.

Fowler, contacted at home, said, “I do not wish to comment whatsoever on any of this.”

Fowler was fired by Boeing in September, 1986, said Harold Carr, a spokesman for the company in Seattle. The Wall Street Journal reported that the firing was because investigators began looking at Fowler’s activities.

Boeing is cooperating with the investigators, Carr said. “There has been a considerable number of requests for documents, papers, records and so on,” he said. “We have provided those and will continue to answer requests for them.”

The indictment alleges that after obtaining the papers, Fowler passed them along to Boeing officials and other, unnamed contractors. It also charged that he obtained some documents which had been specifically requested by Boeing officials.

In some cases, according to the indictment, Fowler removed the “secret” classification from some of the papers before passing them on to other Boeing officials.

None of the other people under investigation are identified, although the indictment said some of the other alleged conspirators created separate log books to keep Pentagon officials from knowing that Boeing had the unauthorized classified documents. Boeing has authority to handle certain classified documents because it is a major defense contractor.