The United States of America (USA) has sent a
warning to corrupt African political office holders,
who illegally enrich themselves at the expense of
their poor people, that they would no longer go scot
free. They will be investigated, held accountable and
punished.

The warning was given by US Department of
Justice after a New York court jailed Mahmoud
Thiam, 50, a former minister of mines and geology
of Guinea, who was living big in America on the
bribe he collected from a Chinese company.

He was jailed seven years. He will spend three of
the years under supervised release, for laundering
bribes paid to him by executives of China Sonangol
International Ltd. (China Sonangol) and China
International Fund, SA (CIF).

“Today’s sentence sends a strong message to
corrupt individuals like Thiam that if they attempt to
use the U.S. financial system to hide their bribe
money they will be investigated, held accountable,
and punished,” the Acting Assistant Attorney
General Kenneth Blanco of the Department of
Justice Criminal Division said in a statement.
“Mahmoud Thiam engaged in a corrupt scheme to
benefit himself at the expense of the people of
Guinea,” said Blanco.

“Corruption is a cancer on society that destabilises
institutions, inhibits fair and free competition, and
imposes significant burdens on ordinary law-
abiding people just trying to live their everyday
lives”, he added.
The warning was reinforced by Acting U.S. Attorney
Joon H.Kim of the Southern District of New York,
who said:”Today’s sentence shows that if you send
your crime proceeds to New York, whether from
drug dealing, tax evasion or international bribery,
you may very well find yourself at the front end of
long federal prison term.”

Thiam’s sentencing by U.S. District Judge Denise L.
Cote of the Southern District of New York was
announced by Blanco Kim, Assistant Director
Stephen E. Richardson of the FBI’s Criminal
Investigative Division and Assistant Director in
Charge William F. Sweeney Jr. of the FBI’s New
York Field Office.

Thiam was convicted on May 3, after a seven-day
trial of one count of transacting in criminally derived
property and one count of money laundering.
“As a unanimous jury found at trial, Thiam abused
his position as Guinea’s Minister of Mines to take
millions in bribes from a Chinese conglomerate, and
then launder that money through the American
financial system,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kim.
“Enriching himself at the expense of one Africa’s
poorest countries, Thiam used some of the Chinese
bribe money to pay his children’s Manhattan private
school tuition and to buy a $3.75 million estate in
Dutchess County”, Kim added.

“Thiam abused his official position, but the outcome
shows that no one is above the law,” said Assistant
Director Stephen E. Richardson.
“The FBI will not stand by while individuals attempt
to live by their own rules and use the United States
as a safe haven for their ill-gotten gains. I would
like to applaud the dedicated investigators and
prosecutors who have worked to hold those who
have committed these crimes accountable for their
illegal actions.”

According to evidence presented at trial, China
Sonangol, CIF and their subsidiaries signed a series
of agreements with Guinea that gave them lucrative
mining rights in Guinea.
In exchange for bribes paid by executives of China
Sonangol and CIF, Thiam used his position as
Minister to influence the Guinean government’s
decision to enter into those agreements while
serving from 2009 to 2010. The evidence further
showed that Thiam participated in a scheme to
launder the bribe payments from 2009 to 2011,
during which time China Sonangol and CIF paid him
$8.5 million through a bank account in Hong Kong.
Thiam then transferred approximately $3.9 million
to bank accounts in the U.S. and used the money to
pay for luxury goods and other expenses.

The FBI’s International Corruption Squads in New
York City and Los Angeles investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Lorinda Laryea of the Criminal
Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S.
Attorneys Elisha Kobre and Christopher DiMase of
the Southern District of New York prosecuted the
case. Fraud Section Assistant Chief Tarek Helou
and Trial Attorney Sarah Edwards, and Money
Laundering and Asset Recovery Section Senior Trial
Attorney Stephen Parker previously investigated the
case. The Criminal Division’s Office of International
Affairs also provided substantial assistance in this
matter.

http://thenationonlineng.net/us-african-looters-cant-go-scot-free-anymore/

Hmmm, let me see, first arrest GEJ and the remaining PDP members, they're all quarrupt

PDP politicians will fill jails in developed countries in the near future. It is almost impossible for PDP not to steal. They have no respect for their constituencies , people or the stupid youths who waste their lives defending them online. Jonathan for instance does not give a shit for Niger Delta people . He has not fought for any struggle, started an NGO or established an employment generating venture in the ND before. His mission in life is to take the struggle of Boro, Saro Wiwa and others and profit from it. So also Wike, Okowa, Ibori and Alamieyesegha

Thiam used some of the Chinese
bribe money to pay his children’s Manhattan private
school tuition and to buy a $3.75 million estate in
Dutchess County”,
.
.
I want to believe, that man will also be telling Guinea citizens not to go to school abroad o, while his own kids are there enjoying class lecture where the most students in a class is 30 compared to our's here, where the least stands at about 50.

Good

All corrupt politician across board should be dealt with

Good development

Especially people like obasanjo

Yeah. Although, it is very nice. You are doing this because you also stand to gain a lot from it. We know the US don't help without you returning the favour.

wetin US won do??

That's a good development only if they are truly ready to help. Most sadists and lovers of thieves are still gonna blame this on Buhari. Nobody should be spared if found wanting.

This is Super Story

Good

May God deliver you from this chromosomal foolishness.

So PDP politicians are the only thieves right? APC politicians are all saints okwaya?

Receive sense!

Adminisher:
PDP politicians will fill jails in developed countries in the near future. It is almost impossible for PDP not to steal. They have no respect for their constituencies , people or the stupid youths who waste their lives defending them online. Jonathan for instance does not give a shit for Niger Delta people . He has not fought for any struggle, started an NGO or established an employment generating venture in the ND before. His mission in life is to take the struggle of Boro, Saro Wiwa and others and profit from it. So also Wike, Okowa, Ibori and Alamieyesegha

Cc lalasticlala