Editing Thomas G. Clines (section)

==Post-CIA Career and EATSCO==
After retiring, Clines leveraged his CIA contacts to enter private arms dealing, most notably through [[EATSCO]] and Iran-Contra-related activities.

	•	Egyptian-American Transport and Services Corporation (EATSCO, 1979–1983):
	◦	In 1979, Clines co-founded EATSCO with Hussein K. Salem, a former Egyptian military intelligence officer, to handle U.S. military aid shipments to Egypt post-Camp David Accords. Clines owned 49%, with Salem holding the majority.
	◦	EATSCO secured a $3 billion contract to ship electronics, artillery, and tanks, using aircraft like a Boeing 707-323C from Global International Airways, a CIA-linked company. The company overcharged the Pentagon by $8 million through inflated invoices, leading to a 1983 guilty plea for false statements, with a $20,000 fine and $3.04 million in restitution from Salem.
	◦	Edwin P. Wilson provided funding for EATSCO and was investigated for his role, though Egyptian officials downplayed his involvement due to his Libyan ties. [[Ted Shackley]] was linked to EATSCO through his network, though not formally charged.

	•	Connection to [[Nugan Hand Bank]] and [[Michael Jon Hand]]:
	◦	Clines’ associate, [[Edwin P. Wilson]], used [[Nugan Hand Bank]] in 1974 to finance arms shipments to southern Africa, a deal facilitated by [[Michael Jon Hand]], a former CIA contractor. While no direct evidence ties Clines to Nugan Hand, his partnership with Wilson in EATSCO and shared CIA networks (via Shackley) suggest overlap. Hand’s Laos experience with Air America and Clines’ oversight of similar operations indicate a parallel structure in covert logistics.

	•	Iran-Contra Affair (1980s):
	◦	Clines was a central figure in the Iran-Contra affair, working with [[Richard Secord]] and Albert Hakim to sell arms to Iran and fund Nicaraguan Contras, bypassing Congressional bans. He operated through companies like Stanford Technology Trading Group International and Energy Resources, funneling profits to offshore accounts.
	◦	In 1990, Clines was convicted of underreporting $720,000 in Iran-Contra profits on his taxes, receiving 16 months in prison, a $40,000 fine, and three years’ probation—the only Iran-Contra figure to serve time. His conviction was upheld on appeal in 1992.

Air America:
	◦	Clines’ role in Laos and Vietnam directly tied him to [[Air America]], which he used for logistics under Shackley’s command. His oversight of supply drops and [[Phoenix Program]] operations relied on Air America’s aircraft, and drug trafficking allegations (denied by Clines) mirror those against the airline.