Posted on 04/27/2005 7:32:37 PM PDT by wagglebee
UNITED NATIONS - The embattled former director of the scandal ridden Iraq Oil for Food Program has sent a letter with an ultimatum to the office of Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
Benon Sevan, a veteran Cypriot diplomat, now the target of several U.S. and U.N. investigations, has sent Annan a "demand" that the world body pay his mounting legal bills "or else."
According to Anann chief of staff Mark Malloch Brown, the letter, written by Sevan's legal team, carried an implied threat of new public disclosures regarding embezzlement in the now defunct oil for food program.
Sevan has given no indication that Annan was involved in the corrupt pay-off scheme. But if anyone might have evidence linking Anan - Sevan would know where the bodies are buried.
According to U.S. and U.N. investigators, the $60 billion program, which ran from 1996-2003 may have seen more than $6 billion directly skimmed and as much as $15 billion lost through oil smuggling overlooked by the U.N. and the Security Council itself.
Sevan has repeatedly claimed that Annan had committed to pay all legal bills up to the time U.N. chief investigator Paul Volcker issued an interim report on the Iraqi aid program scandal in February.
Those bills, which sources estimate at more than $350,000, have now become a subject of contention between the U.N. and the former under secretary-general.
With allegations of potential criminality, the U.N. has opted to decline the Sevan request for legal reimbursements.
"We will not pay his legal bills, it will not happen," Malloch Brown told NewsMax.
"If he (Sevan) has new information on the Oil for Food Program, let him make it public," Malloch Brown insisted.
Another U.N. official, speaking on background, told NewsMax, "If he has new information that has not been tuned over to (U.N. investigator)Volcker, that raises new questions."
Volcker has publicly complained that Sevan has "been less than forthcoming" during his panel's investigation into the multi-billion dollar scandal.
Currently, Sevan enjoys "functional immunity" - U.N.-speak for diplomatic immunity.
Annan, however, has pledged to remove such immunity if any U.N. staffer is indicted for criminal activity or found to be obstructing the Volcker investigation.
If Sevan does indeed have new information - information kept from the Volcker investigation - that may prompt Annan to revoke his diplomatic shield before any criminal indictment, confirmed the U.N. official.
NewsMax has leaned that in addition to the U.N. investigation, Sevan is also the target of an Internal Revenue Service probe into possible tax evasion.
Neither Sevan Nor his legal team would comment on the recent turn of events.
Yeah, but if he does know where the bodies are buried, Kofi Annan will remove his immunity the moment that Kerry signs the 180.
Oh my, this is rich. If Kofi doesn't pay his bills, he will sing like a canary. Then Kofi will remove his immunity and he might go to jail. This sounds like High Noon or some kind of game of chicken.
You put a bunch of rats together under threatening conditions and they will start attacking each other. It's the nature of the little beasties, whose sub-human counterparts are found in the UN building. I hope they all start singing to save their own worthless hides.
Fight brewing in the UN sandbox..
Dollars for the Lincoln bedroom, Dollars for pardons, Dollars from Despots. Theres room for all that and more under the klintoon criminal umbrella.
He threatened the UN? My gosh, ther are other people who are so mean and rude, like those all knowing and never a word spoken in heated anger saintly senators are accusing Bolton of being? What is the world coming to? Nasty, nasty. It's just so utterly shameful.
I think Tongsun Park's been offered US immunity. Maybe Sevan should be to.
what is newsmax's batting average for accuracy?
"No way that kind of buffoonery was going on right under the Klintoon's noses if they weren't getting a little kickback."
I think the Food for Oil frauds took place when the US was otherwise busy. Or the US assented to the Canadians taking over, thinking they'd be on the up and up. (Ha!)
But Marc Rich got caught up in the investigation...
This sounds like a drug runner snitching on the drug mastermind.
Absolutely wonderful way a saying it! I sometimes wonder if they orchestrated the entire Oil for Fools, er ah, Food Program.
NewsMax has leaned that in addition to the U.N. investigation, Sevan is also the target of an Internal Revenue Service probe into possible tax evasion.
Gosh, I hope NewsMax is aware of the other investigations into the Oil for Food story.
In addition to the UN one, there is the IRS that they evidently just learned of, several Congressional investigations, the DOJ and a Manhattan DA.
Oh, and the Iraqis want an accounting but I'm not up to speed on if they've been able to cobble together an investigative team yet.
The pressure must be on for Volcker to have made his tardy "Annan wasn't exonerated" statement.
Don't you love it when they turn on their own? Go ahead, Koffee, and yell "hell no" in the prison shower, and see what happens.
"what is newsmax's batting average for accuracy?"
So-so.
But they're quoting a UN official by name, this time.
Marc Rich didn't get his pardon just because.
I'm afraid you are right.
thx. never doubted that Kofi was an effeminate thug; ( just seem to associate newsmax with grasping for straws.
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