A former president of the United Nations General Assembly turned the world body into a “platform for profit” by accepting over $1 million in bribes from a billionaire Chinese real estate mogul and other businesspeople to pave the way for lucrative investments, a prosecutor charged Tuesday.
Advertisement
“We are continuing to study the complaint that was released yesterday”, he said, adding that he believed the United Nations office for south-south cooperation received about $1.5 million from the foundation.
“The secretary-general was shocked and deeply troubled to learn this morning of the allegations against John Ashe, which go to the heart of the integrity of the United Nations”, he said.
In addition, the office said the money is being used to support preparations for a ministerial-level South-South Conference on Science and Technology and a summit of the Group of 77 developing countries on South-South Cooperation to be held in 2016.
Five other defendants, including Francis Lorenzo, the deputy permanent representative to the United Nations for the Dominican Republic, have been charged on bribery and conspiracy counts. In return, Ashe submitted a document in support of the conference center to the the United Nations.
Ban Ki-moon said he was shocked and deeply troubled by the allegations targeting Ashe.
Ng’s attorney, Alex Spiro, said in a statement that his client “committed no crime”.
Ashe is accused of having spent the bribes allegedly given to him on Rolex watches, a BMW, Bespoke suits, and a basketball court at his home.
Beginning in 2014, Ashe solicited funds from Ng for his General Assembly presidency, including a $200,000 payment from the South-South News bank account that was deposited to Ashe’s account on June 3, 2014.
Ashe, who served as United Nations ambassador for Antigua until November 2014, also received payments to cover personal expenses, such as family vacations and the construction of a basketball court at his house in New York state, the AFP news agency reported. Prosecutors contend they facilitated bribes. The country’s former prime minister, Baldwin Spencer, and senior officials from his government were also identified in the complaint against Ashe, the statement said.
Ng was denied bail in Manhattan federal court, just as he was two weeks ago when he was arrested on charges that he was failing to accurately report what he planned to do with US$4.5 million in cash he brought into the USA over several years aboard private jets.
“Ashe made it very clear in emails and documents that he could use his access to the prime minister and other government officials to set up meetings and promote contracts with businessmen who were willing to pay”, said Diego Rodriguez, the head of the New York office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Advertisement
Yan and Piao are charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
