Free Republic

[Subtitle: “I hope that my story will help you understand the methods of Russian operatives in Washington and how they use U.S. enablers to achieve major foreign policy goals without disclosing those interests,” Browder writes.]The financier Bill Browder has emerged as an unlikely central player in the ongoing investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 elections. Sergei Magnitsky, an attorney Browder hired to investigate official corruption, died in Russian custody in 2009. Congress subsequently imposed sanctions on the officials it held responsible for his death, passing the Magnitsky Act in 2012. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s government retaliated, among other ways,...

The United States on Monday asked judges at the International Court of Justice to throw out a claim by Iran to recover $1.75 billion (€1.5 billion) in national bank assets seized by U.S. courts. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2016 that the assets must be turned over to American families of victims of the 1983 bombing of a U.S. Marine Corps barracks in Beirut, among others. The hearings at the tribunal were separate from Iran’s claim relating to current U.S. sanctions against Tehran. Iran’s claim in both cases is based on a 1955 Amity Treaty, which was signed 24...

The United States is intensifying its pressure on the Palestinian Authority (PA). The Al-Jazeera network reported on Sunday evening that the US administration has decided to immediately close all bank accounts linked to the PA or the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in banks across the United States. The US is not confirming the report at the moment, but the State Department hinted last week after the closure of the PLO’s mission in Washington that there would be further steps against the Palestinian Arabs. Earlier on Sunday, the Lebanon-based Al-Mayadeen television reported that the US ordered the PLO envoy to the...

The BBC filed a complaint Wednesday to the United Nations over Iran freezing the assets of more than 150 people associated with its Persian service, calling the Islamic Republic’s actions “a deprivation of human rights.” The British broadcaster described Iran’s actions as part of a “criminal investigation” into its staff, former employees and contributors over allegations of them fomenting a “conspiracy against national security” in Iran and abroad. Those swept up in the investigation include Iranian dual nationals from Australia, Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Britain and the United States. Iran’s mission at the U.N. did not respond to a request...

<p>WASHINGTON -- Sensitive national-security information was mistakenly released by the Treasury Department to former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill, but no criminal statutes were violated, records show.</p> <p>Mr. O'Neill drew on some of the material -- part of a cache of 19,000 documents -- for a memoir released in January that was critical of President Bush. When a document stamped "Secret" was displayed on a CBS "60 Minutes" episode concerning the book, the Treasury Department sought an investigation.</p>

The risk of civil war continues. The Royalists (Yellow Shirts), who are in power (via a coup in 2006, followed by tainted elections) are trying to capture Populist (Red Shirt) leader, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. That the royalists and urban elites believe that the capture, trial and imprisonment of Shinawatra might break the will of the populists, or convince Shinawatra to switch sides. The latest move was to have the courts seize half of Shinawatra's fortune ($1.4 billion) as a fine for being corrupt. This was an unpopular move, since nearly all Thai politicians are corrupt, and people wonder...

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - The former Louisiana congressman who famously hid $90,000 cash in his freezer and was later convicted of federal bribery charges on Friday was sentenced to 13 years in prison.

A federal judge has refused to dismiss bribery charges against Rep. William Jefferson (D-La.). Jefferson is accused of orchestrating a complicated, and multi-layered scheme to receive bribes from companies seeking business in Western Africa. Proving bribery against a lawmaker is difficult because prosecutors must show that the defendant provided an “official act” such as a voting a certain way or sponsoring legislation in return for money or items he received. His lawyers argued that Jefferson didn’t do anything in his capacity as a congressman that could be considered a bribe. U.S. District Court Judge T.S. Ellis III turned that legal...

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Exxon Mobil Corp. has won court orders freezing up to $12 billion in Venezuelan assets around the world as it fights for compensation for operations lost to President Hugo Chavez's nationalization drive. The largest U.S. company sought the asset freeze to guarantee repayment should it win arbitration over the Cerro Negro heavy oil project. The move is the boldest challenge yet by an international oil major against any of the governments around the world that have moved to increase their holds on natural resources as energy and commodity prices have soared. "To me it sounds like...

WASHINGTON (AP) - President George W. Bush announced Thursday the United States will freeze the property and interests of people deemed to be undermining Lebanon's democratic government. Bush's executive order targets anyone considered to be helping Syria assert control in Lebanon or trying to break down the rule of law in that Middle Eastern country, including by means of violence. «Such actions constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States,» Bush said in an accompanying message to Congress. Bush's order also applies to spouses and dependent children of those deemed to...

Bush Set To Label Iranian Military Branch Terrorist BY ELI LAKE - Staff Reporter of the Sun July 13, 2007 URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/58430 WASHINGTON — President Bush is set to declare Iran's revolutionary guard corps a foreign terrorist organization, marking the first time a branch of a nation's armed services would be designated on a list of organizations and entities created after September 11, 2001 to block the assets of Al Qaeda. The paperwork that would designate Iran's revolutionary guard corps, or IRGC, and Quds Force is now on the president's desk awaiting his signature, according to three administration officials who...

Alexandria, Va. (AP) -- A federal judge Thursday froze the assets of Rep. William Jefferson, the Louisiana Democrat who was indicted this week on charges of soliciting bribes. A forfeiture charge is among the 16 criminal counts Jefferson is facing. Prosecutors have already said they will seek to recoup hundreds of thousands of dollars from Jefferson that they believe he obtained illicitly by peddling his influence to help broker business deals in Africa. Jefferson is scheduled to be arraigned Friday in U.S. District Court. The indictment, issued Monday, said Jefferson received more than $500,000 in bribes and sought millions more...

<p>Sources tell CBS NEWS that Congressman William Jefferson (D-LA) will be indicted this afternoon on more than a dozen counts involving public corruption. Jefferson has been the subject of a ongoing probe in which FBI agents allegedly found more than 90-thousand dollars in cash in his freezer. The Justice Department is expected to unveil the charges later today... Developing...</p>

Japan freezes more Iranian assets over its nuclear plan TOKYO: Japan decided on Friday to freeze the assets of more Iranian individuals and institutions in line with United Nations sanctions aimed at persuading Tehran to stop nuclear enrichment, which could be used to make an atomic bomb. Fifteen Iranian individuals and 13 institutions designated by a UN resolution as being involved with Iran’s nuclear programme will be added to a list of those whose assets have already been frozen, the government said. The UN Security Council has imposed two rounds of sanctions on Iran since December, but Tehran has refused...

DETROIT - A federal agency has frozen the assets of a Muslim group that some intelligence experts allege raised money in metro Detroit to bankroll terrorism through Hezbollah. The action, taken this week by the U.S. Treasury Department, makes it illegal to contribute to or conduct business with the Islamic Resistance Support Organization. It comes after the Israel-based Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center alleged IRSO had raised money in Michigan through donation boxes in restaurants and possibly other places. The center says IRSO used similar boxes in Lebanon to raise donations. But local Arab-American and Muslim leaders contacted Thursday said...

WASHINGTON: The Bush administration has indicated it is prepared to form an independent coalition to freeze Iranian assets and restrict trade if the United Nations Security Council fails to penalise Tehran for its nuclear enrichment programme, The Los Angeles Times reported on Saturday. A Security Council resolution gives Iran until Aug.31 to stop uranium enrichment, which could provide fuel to produce electricity or possibly atomic weapons, or face penalties. US Ambassador John Bolton said in an interview late this week that the United States planned to introduce a resolution imposing penalties such as a travel ban and asset freeze for...

WASHINGTON - The Treasury Department froze the assets of two Syrian officials on Tuesday, alleging they had played key roles in support of terrorist organizations. "Until Syria takes concrete steps to become a responsible member of the international community, the United States will make known rogue actors supporting the country's destabilizing agenda," Pat O'Brien, Treasury's assistant secretary for terrorist financing, said in a statement announcing the action. The designation means that U.S. financial institutions must freeze any U.S. bank deposits held by the individuals, Maj. Gen. Hisham Ikhtiyar and Brig. Gen. Jama'a Jama'a. Presidential spokesman Tony Snow said the action...

THE Bank of England, Britain's central bank, has frozen the accounts of 19 of the 24 men arrested in a alleged terror plot, and publicly released their names. "The Bank of England ... has today directed that any funds held for or on behalf of the (19) individuals ... must be frozen, and that no funds should be made available, directly or indirectly to any person, except under the authority of a licence," the bank said today. "Financial institutions and other persons are requested to check whether they maintain any accounts or otherwise hold any funds, other financial assets, economic...

HERNANDO, Fla. --The Ted Williams Museum and Hitters Hall of Fame closed Sunday, a victim of a lack of attendance and interest following the baseball star's death. The diamond-shaped museum, which opened in 1994, attracted sports legends to its many events and featured a collection that chronicled Williams' life, including his exploits as a fighter pilot, Boston Red Sox left-fielder and accomplished fisherman. But poor attendance caused in part by its out-of-the-way location in west-central Florida made running the museum too expensive, said David Staples, who had volunteered at the museum since its opening. "You can't exist too many years...

US authorities said they have frozen the assets of a non-governmental organisation, KindHearts, which they say is linked to Hamas, the Palestinian group it accuses of backing terrorism. The US Treasury Department said KindHearts' accounts and other assets would be frozen while an investigation was carried out. Stuart Levey, treasury under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said KindHearts was linked to Holy Land Foundation and the Global Relief Foundation "which attempted to mask their support for terrorism behind the facade of charitable giving." According to US authorities, Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development is linked to Hamas while...