report on programme manipulation - Independent Inquiry Committee

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INDEPENDENT INQUIRY COMMITTEE INTO THE UNITED NATIONS OIL-FOR-FOOD PROGRAMME REPORT ON PROGRAMME MANIPULATION CHAPTER TWO OIL TRANSACTIONS AND ILLICIT PAYMENTS supplies. Fortum states there was no connection between its contract under the Programme and its donation to the Mariam Appeal. 160 Between January and June 2000, Mr. Al-Chalabi (through his company, Delta Services) received commission payments from Fortum totaling $472,228 in relation to contract M/07/83. Soon after each deposit, a series of payments totaling over $120,000 were transferred from the Delta Services bank account to the bank account of Amineh Naji Daoud Abu Zayyad, Mr. Galloway’s wife. Ms. Abu Zayyad was the medical and scientific officer for the Mariam Appeal and one of the authorized signatories on one of the Appeal’s bank accounts. 161 In June 2000, a further portion of Mr. Al-Chalabi’s commission in the amount of $70,000 was transferred to Mr. Zureikat. Mr. Zureikat does not recall receiving $70,000 and denied having any business links to Mr. Al-Chalabi. Mr. Al-Chalabi did not respond to Committee requests for an interview. In addition, $15,000 was transferred from the Delta Services account to a bank account in Jordan in the name of Mudhafar Al-Amin. A transfer of $135,481 was also made to an account held in the name of “Mudhafar A. Amin” listed in the account documents as “ambassador of Iraq.” Mudhafar A. Amin was the name of the Iraqi chargé d’affaires in London at the time. 162 Mr. Galloway’s response to the Committee’s findings, in which he reiterates his previous denials, is annexed to the <strong>report</strong>. He states, “I had nothing to do with any oil deals done by Mr. Fawaz 160 Neste Oil letter to the Committee (June 30, 2005); Rod Gavshon interview (Aug. 1, 2005); National Bank of Abu Dhabi record, Mariam Appeal account, credit advice (Apr. 19, 2000) and bank statement (Apr. 29, 2003); Mariam Appeal record, Stuart Halford letter to National Bank of Abu Dhabi (Apr. 12, 2000). 161 Lloyds TSB record, Delta Services account, credit advices (Jan. 21, Mar. 20, May 15, and June 29, 2000), bank statements (Jan. 31, Mar. 31, May 31, and June 30, 2000), debit advices (Jan. 24, Mar. 22, and May 16, 2000); National Bank of Abu Dhabi record, Mariam Appeal account, Mandate for Incorporated Associations (Aug. 18, 1999); Charity Commission for England and Wales record, Davenport Lyons letter to the Charity Commission for England and Wales (Apr. 13, 2004). Mr. Al-Chalabi was the beneficial owner of the Delta Services account. Lloyds TSB record, Delta Services account, bank account opening document (Apr. 15, 1998). $82,738 was to be paid to “the AHLI Foundation.” Bank records show this portion of the money actually was withdrawn in cash. Lloyds TSB record, Rawlinson & Hunter letter to Lloyds Bank Geneva (June 15, 2000) (requesting wire transfers from the Delta Services account); Lloyds TSB record, Delta Services account, bank statement (May 31, 2000). 162 Lloyds TSB record, Delta Services account, credit advice (June 29, 2000), debit advices (Jan. 24, Mar. 22, May 16, and June 30, 2000), and bank statement (June 30, 2000); Fawaz Zureikat interview (Oct. 10, 2005); Neste Oil record, Neste Oil letter to Dr. Mudhafar A. Amin (Aug. 12, 1999); Banque Nagelmackers record, Mudhafar A. Amin account, bank opening documents (Aug. 27, 1998) and SWIFT messages (Jan. 24, Mar. 23, and May 16, 2000). $34,692 was to be paid to “the AHLI Foundation,” but actually was withdrawn in cash. Lloyds TSB record, Rawlinson & Hunter letter to Lloyds Bank, Geneva (June 15, 2000) (requesting wire transfers from the Delta Services account); Lloyds TSB record, Delta Services account, bank statement (June 30, 2000). REPORT ON PROGRAMME MANIPULATION–OCTOBER 27, 2005 PAGE 88 OF 623
INDEPENDENT INQUIRY COMMITTEE INTO THE UNITED NATIONS OIL-FOR-FOOD PROGRAMME REPORT ON PROGRAMME MANIPULATION CHAPTER TWO OIL TRANSACTIONS AND ILLICIT PAYMENTS Zureikat or anyone else.” He also stated that his wife denied that she had ever “received $120,000 from Dr. Burhan Chelabi [sic] or anyone else.” 163 B. ROBERTO FORMIGONI/MARCO MAZARINO DE PETRO Iraqi officials and Ministry of Oil records show that the Government of Iraq granted a total of over 27 million barrels of oil over 11 phases in the name of Roberto Formigoni, the President of the Lombardy Region in Italy. Over 24.1 million barrels of this oil were lifted. These oil allocations, however, were handled not by Mr. Formigoni, but by Marco Mazarino de Petro, a friend of Mr. Formigoni’s for 30 years, who, at the time, was serving as a paid consultant in the office of the President of the Lombardy Region. Through an arrangement with a local company, Costieri Genovesi Petroliferi (“CO.GE.P.”), Mr. de Petro received almost $800,000 in revenues from the sale of this oil, through a series of accounts held in the name of “Candonly Limited,” the name given to three shell companies he controlled. 164 Mr. de Petro stated that he contacted the office of Mr. Aziz to pursue oil purchases under the Programme. Mr. de Petro recalled that Mr. Formigoni mentioned CO.GE.P. to Iraqi officials during the officials’ visit to Italy in 1998, but asserted that he did not give any money from this activity to Mr. Formigoni. The Committee’s review of available information does not reveal that Mr. Formigoni received proceeds from the sale of this oil. Despite several attempts, however, the Committee was unable to obtain the cooperation of Mr. Formigoni or CO.GE.P. Mr. Formigoni has denied receiving oil allocations. 1. Background Mr. Formigoni has served as the President of the Lombardy Region since 1995 and previously served as Undersecretary to the Italian Ministry of Environment. He became friendly with Mr. Aziz in 1990, when he traveled to Baghdad in an effort to obtain the release of Italian hostages. He maintained a relationship with Mr. Aziz and Iraqi officials throughout his Presidency— traveling to Baghdad and meeting with visiting Iraqi officials several times during the Programme, and attending the Baghdad Conference with Mr. Aziz in 1999. Mr. Formigoni was a supporter of Iraq long before the beginning of the Programme, and he openly was against the embargo. 165 163 George Galloway e-mail to the Committee (Oct. 17, 2005). Mr. Galloway was interviewed by the Committee in May 2005. He refused a second interview stating he “had nothing more to say” to the Committee. Although Mr. Galloway stated he would consider answering written questions, it is not the Committee’s practice to conduct interviews in this manner. George Galloway e-mail to the Committee (Aug. 23, 2005). 164 For the purposes of this Report, “Candonly Limited” refers to three Candonly entities: (1) Candonly Dublin; (2) Candonly Ltd. London; and (3) Candonly BV Amsterdam. 165 Roberto Formigoni, “Biografia,” http://www.formigoni.it/biografia.htm; The International Who’s Who, “Roberto Formigoni,” http://www.worldwhoswho.com/views/entry.html?id=for-0424&ssid+938641625 REPORT ON PROGRAMME MANIPULATION–OCTOBER 27, 2005 PAGE 89 OF 623
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