According to Pajamas Media, the UN 's highest internal judicial body has decided to pay legal fees to former Oil-for-Food chief is Benon Sevan. Acording to the article, Benpm Sevan is:
"charged with bribery and conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with the same UN Oil-for-Food food program that he ran from 1997-2003. Sevan was also accused in an August, 2005 report from the UN-authorized Oil-for-Food inquiry, run by former Fed Chairman Paul Volcker, of having profited "corruptly" -- to the tune of some $147,000 in cash - from oil deals obtained via the UN program. Months before that, Norm Coleman's Senate subcommittee investigation into Oil-for-Food had made similar allegations, with Coleman stating at a Feb. 14, 2005 hearing: "As a former prosecutor, I believe that clear and direct evidence establishes probable casue that Benon Sevan broke the law." "
Sevan left New York before the Volcker Committee gave its final report and is living peacefully on Cyprus. According to the Associated Press, Sevan and his lawyers are seeking $880,300, plus interest.
Just a note. The US remains the single largest financial supporter of the UN. In 2005, the US contributed about 4.3 billion to the UN. These numbers came from the CRS Report for Congress--United Nations System Funding: Congressional Issues. I guess my real question is, "Why in the world are we still supporting these people?"
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