Jefferson Probe Includes Other Suspected Schemes

The FBI is focusing on at least eight different suspected bribery schemes as part of its corruption probe of Rep. William J. Jefferson (D-La.), according to a federal affidavit and sources familiar with the investigation.

A key part of the FBI probe has centered around Jefferson's dealings with a Louisville high-tech company, iGate Inc., that was marketing broadband technology for the Internet and cable television in Africa.

But an affidavit used in last weekend's controversial search of Jefferson's Capitol Hill office stated that authorities are looking at "at least seven other" bribery schemes in which Jefferson "sought things of value in return for his performance of official acts."

In early January 2004, NDTV canceled the deal with iGate. An Aug. 3 raid on Jefferson's apartment turned up a letter from NDTV's law firm concluding that "Jefferson, Vernon Jackson" and others had violated Nigerian laws.

The letter also stated: "I have also attached a list of your bank accounts through which you insisted that money be paid (which it was) to you in relation to the iGate-NDTV transaction."

This is from The Strata-Sphere which connects the dots:

Mac Ranger has been hinting that there are possible connections to Joe Wilson and Rep William Jefferson (bribery scandal). Turns out there may be. Recall that Joe Wilson was running his own international business consulting firm when the CIA asked him twice (through his wife) to visit Niger in 1999 and 2002. He went again in 2000 when the military coup d’etat had been supllanted with a democratic government. His business was representing these governments to assist them in getting lucrative business opportuities.

With that in mind, note this news on the ever expanding Rep Jefferson probe (which somehow the Conrgessional Reps were able to jump on the wrong side of instantly):

The FBI is focusing on at least eight different suspected bribery schemes as part of its corruption probe of Rep. William J. Jefferson (D-La.), according to a federal affidavit and sources familiar with the investigation.
…
Federal authorities have alleged in court documents that Jefferson took more than $500,000 in bribes in exchange for using his official position to promote iGate’s technology in Nigeria, Ghana and Cameroon.
…
The affidavit discloses an alleged scheme in which Jefferson introduced officials from Netlink Digital Television (NDTV), a Nigerian company, to Jackson.
NDTV agreed to pay iGate nearly $45 million for the right to use its technology and to distribute it in Nigeria. The affidavit alleges that Jefferson, without iGate’s knowledge, separately negotiated with NDTV officials to receive $5 for each subscriber in “return for Jefferson’s official assistance if the deal was successful.”

More here on the NDTV scheme. Some news from Nigeria here. I will have to dig into this later in the weekend. But two more links are important: one is regarding the man who coordinated President Clinton’s trip to Africa in 1998 (one Joe Wilson) and two where we learn of one Lousianna Congressman who was also on the trip to Africa with Clinton and Wilson:

Jefferson and two other members who traveled with Clinton to Africa called a news conference to announce their support for an idea by Jesse Jackson, the president’s special envoy to Africa, for a museum dedicated to slavery in Washington.

Interest and joint travel to Africa do not make a conspiracy or demonstrate guilt. Guilt is a multi-part characteristic which includes ‘opportuntiy’. We shall see if there was motivation in any of this, let alone some hard evidence. Right now it is simply coincidence. But Mac and I seem to be interested in what one Atiku Abubakar may say now that he too has been ’searched’ by the FBI.

Update: Seems Nigerian VP Atiku has some personal ties to the investigation since it appears his wife was just indicted by the US with regards to Jefferson:

VICE-PRESIDENT Atiku Abubakar’s wife, Jennifer, has been indicted in the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) probe of US Congressman, William Jefferson, over bribery involving a transnational tele-communications deal. Jennifer resides in the Potomac, Maryland home of Atiku which was raided on August 3, 2005, by the FBI in connection with the bribery investigation.
In a report on Tuesday, the FBI revealed that a taped conversation between Jefferson and a wired Mody saw the embattled American lawmaker describing Jennifer as a “front”. Jefferson told Mody that the Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Gede Foundation, being operated in Washington by Jennifer, was a front, being used to channel illegal funds by the Atiku family.

Want to know how bad this is going to get? Bribery is one thing. Hiding bribery and corruption behind humanitarian aid is the lowest of low:

Gede Foundation, according to the founder, was to help in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
[...]"In a recorded conversation, Jefferson said that a top Nigerian official was scheduled to arrive in Washington shortly. Jefferson described him as a businessman “who has more deals than the man in the moon” and “he’s a very well, the word might be… corrupt.” The official, Jefferson later said, could be bribed by funnelling money through a charitable foundation run by the official’s wife, which Jefferson called a “front”.

How low can these people be? I guess we will be finding out.

This is an interesting take in this blog regarding Wilson and Jefferson; thanks for the mail about this, Dog:

has been hinting that there are possible connections to Joe Wilson and Rep William Jefferson (bribery scandal). Turns out there may be. Recall that Joe Wilson was running his own international business consulting firm when the CIA asked him twice (through his wife) to visit Niger in 1999 and 2002. He went again in 2000 when the military coup d’etat had been supllanted with a democratic government. His business was representing these governments to assist them in getting lucrative business opportuities.

With that in mind, note this news on the ever expanding Rep Jefferson probe (which somehow the Conrgessional Reps were able to jump on the wrong side of instantly):

The FBI is focusing on at least eight different suspected bribery schemes as part of its corruption probe of Rep. William J. Jefferson (D-La.), according to a federal affidavit and sources familiar with the investigation.
…
Federal authorities have alleged in court documents that Jefferson took more than $500,000 in bribes in exchange for using his official position to promote iGate’s technology in Nigeria, Ghana and Cameroon.
…
The affidavit discloses an alleged scheme in which Jefferson introduced officials from Netlink Digital Television (NDTV), a Nigerian company, to Jackson.

NDTV agreed to pay iGate nearly $45 million for the right to use its technology and to distribute it in Nigeria. The affidavit alleges that Jefferson, without iGate’s knowledge, separately negotiated with NDTV officials to receive $5 for each subscriber in “return for Jefferson’s official assistance if the deal was successful.”

More here on the NDTV scheme. Some news from Nigeria here. I will have to dig into this later in the weekend. But two more links are important: one is regarding the man who coordinated President Clinton’s trip to Africa in 1998 (one Joe Wilson) and two where we learn of one Lousianna Congressman who was also on the trip to Africa with Clinton and Wilson:

Jefferson and two other members who traveled with Clinton to Africa called a news conference to announce their support for an idea by Jesse Jackson, the president’s special envoy to Africa, for a museum dedicated to slavery in Washington.

Interest and joint travel to Africa do not make a conspiracy or demonstrate guilt. Guilt is a multi-part characteristic which includes ‘opportuntiy’. We shall see if there was motivation in any of this, let alone some hard evidence. Right now it is simply coincidence. But Mac and I seem to be interested in what one Atiku Abubakar may say now that he too has been ’searched’ by the FBI.

Update: Seems Nigerian VP Atiku has some personal ties to the investigation since it appears his wife was just indicted by the US with regards to Jefferson:

VICE-PRESIDENT Atiku Abubakar’s wife, Jennifer, has been indicted in the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) probe of US Congressman, William Jefferson, over bribery involving a transnational tele-communications deal. Jennifer resides in the Potomac, Maryland home of Atiku which was raided on August 3, 2005, by the FBI in connection with the bribery investigation.

In a report on Tuesday, the FBI revealed that a taped conversation between Jefferson and a wired Mody saw the embattled American lawmaker describing Jennifer as a “front”. Jefferson told Mody that the Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Gede Foundation, being operated in Washington by Jennifer, was a front, being used to channel illegal funds by the Atiku family.

Want to know how bad this is going to get? Bribery is one thing. Hiding bribery and corruption behind humanitarian aid is the lowest of low:

Gede Foundation, according to the founder, was to help in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

…

“In a recorded conversation, Jefferson said that a top Nigerian official was scheduled to arrive in Washington shortly. Jefferson described him as a businessman “who has more deals than the man in the moon” and “he’s a very well, the word might be… corrupt.” The official, Jefferson later said, could be bribed by funnelling money through a charitable foundation run by the official’s wife, which Jefferson called a “front”.

How low can these people be? I guess we will be finding out.

The above has links in it that didn't copy but can be found here:

http://www.strata-sphere.com/blog/

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.