A former Southland-based Navy veteran is expected to plead guilty in the coming weeks in Los Angeles to defrauding the military out of more than $9 million through a bid-rigging and contract steering scheme involving kickbacks and other benefits to a fellow enlistee.

Cory Taylor Wright, 49, of Columbus, Georgia, is charged with a single federal count of wire fraud. He has agreed to plead guilty to the felony charge and cooperate with prosecutors, the Justice Department announced.

Wright worked for the Navy’s Mobile Utilities Support Equipment division — Muse — at the naval base in Port Hueneme in Ventura County. The division provided support for large generators and other systems for U.S. Department of Defense operations around the world. To accomplish its mission, Muse contracted to pro

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