Chevron's Treasonous UN Oil for Food scandal SETTLED: Agrees to pay $25 million in fines

Chevron is in the clear. Big Oil has won. Chevron has agreed to pay $25 million to make the civil and criminal charges against them in the UN Oil for Food Program 'go away'.

The Securities and Exchange Commission said Wednesday that Chevron had agreed to the settlement under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act without admitting or denying the charges. But the United States attorney for the Southern District of New York said Chevron could still be prosecuted for criminal tax violations.
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Of the $25 million, Chevron will forfeit $20 million under an agreement with the United States attorney’s office in New York and pay $5 million under an agreement with the district attorney’s office in Manhattan NYT
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The San Ramon, Calif., oil giant, without admitting or denying wrongdoing, also separately settled civil charges with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday.

The pact requires Chevron to implement enhanced compliance procedures designed to prevent future violations and to confirm that culpable employees are no longer working with Chevron. Dow Jones Newswire

How convenient for Chevron. How convenient for Condi...considering all this occured during her tenure at Chevron. In fact, Chevron even named a tanker after her, but later had to rename it again due to the UN Oil for Food Scandal. Meanwhile Oscar Wyatt was railroaded for doing the same...including a CRIMINAL TRIAL. Why not for Chevron?

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Oscar Wyatt: Traitor? or just another Billionare Texas Oilman? The VERDICT is in GUILTY

Update: Oct. 1st, the WSJ is reporting that Oscar Wyatt Jr. has Pleaded GUILTY.

The plea deal calls for Mr. Wyatt to be sentenced to 18 to 24 months in prison, unless the judge decides otherwise. He also has agreed to forfeit $11 million.

Repost:(background on trial) Don't let them fool you..this trial was wild an had many interesting revelations...including Mark Rich

The Houston Chronicle still seems to be the only newspaper reporting on this rather interesting court case. While our mainstream media focus in on 'OJ getting squeezed', 83 year old former Coastal Corp CEO, Oscar Wyatt Jr., is charged with funneling millions of dollars to Saddam during the UN oil for food program. Not Treason, but for fraud and conspiracy. If convicted on all counts he could be sentenced to 74 years in prison.

Earlier in the trial prosecutors played an audio tape which basically had Former TX Gov. Connally, Wyatt, and Saddam having a conversation about a possible invasion of Iraq by George H.W. Bush after Iraq invaded Kuwait. It's a wild trial. Wyatt stated that he believed Bush was railroading him since he had advised former presidents JFK, Johnson, Reagan, Nixon, and Clinton, but neither of the Bushes.

And on Monday the trial got even more interesting. Satellites tied to seats, plane trips to Jordan, broken bolts, Iraqi Embassy members hauling off crates. It's way more interesting than OJ. The prosecutors have also introduced another 'star' shady witness, Vincent, who pleaded guilty two years ago and is looking for a plea deal. Here are a few excerpts from the article

Former Iraqi strongman Saddam Hussein told Houston oilman Oscar Wyatt in 1995 that the ranks of Iraq's friends had dwindled so dramatically during the years of economic sanctions he could count them on one hand, former consultant Samir Vincent testified today.

"You are one of them," Saddam told Wyatt, Vincent said.

Wyatt replied, "I appreciate the gesture, Mr. President. I feel the same way about Iraq," Vincent testified.

Vincent testified last week that he accompanied Wyatt on seven or eight trips to Iraq between 1991 and 1997, including a trip capped off by an April 1, 1995 audience with Saddam. Prosecutors showed a picture said to show Saddam sitting with Wyatt, Vincent and former Iraqi government leader Tariq Aziz.

Vincent testified today said that sometime in 1994 or 1995 he and Wyatt flew on a plane to Amman, Jordan, with a crate containing satellite equipment. The crate was strapped to seats aboard the plane, Vincent said.

When they arrived in Amman on their way to Baghdad, Vincent said, officials from Iraq's embassy there took the crate. And eventually, the equipment was installed at the offices of Iraq's State Oil Marketing Organization or SOMO in Baghdad, Vincent said.

The Iraqis later complained, however, they were having trouble with a faulty bolt on a satellite dish after it had been installed on the roof of SOMO's offices, Vincent said. Vincent testified he then brought the problematic bolt back to the United States and turned it over to officials at Wyatt's company, Houston-based Coastal Corp.

Wyatt's lawyers have even claimed they were stopped in 2002 by Customs Enforcement at Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport and documents and an address book were taken from them

In a court filing this week, Wyatt's lawyers said Wyatt was returning to Houston and went through Customs screening at Intercontinental. The address book, the filing said, "was missing from his briefcase when he arrived at his office."

A document filed with the motion and identified as a Customs Service "custody receipt for retained or seized property" said the address book was found at the airport's international terminal. The receipt contained the notation "possible sanction violations." 9/14/07

who was in that address book? The infamous 50 million dolllar tax evader and Scooter Libby longtime client, Mark Rich.

The address book contains the name of Marc Rich, who fled the country after being charged with tax evasion and fraud. In one of his last acts as president, Clinton pardoned the fugitive financier, touching off a firestorm.

The lawyers said letting jurors see the entry would be "totally irrelevant and inflammatory."

"Wyatt's relationship with Rich, if any, adds nothing to the government's allegations of prohibited transactions with Iraq except the prejudicial association of their suspect with a notorious felon," the lawyers wrote.

Stop watching OJ! Saddam is talking from the grave...still talking $hit to the Bu$hes.

My related post
Saddam Hussein Speaks from the Grave

Same Players. Different Scandals.

Oscar Wyatt: Traitor? or just another Billionare Texas Oilman? The VERDICT : GUILTY

Update: Oct. 1st, the WSJ is reporting that Oscar Wyatt Jr. has Pleaded GUILTY.

The plea deal calls for Mr. Wyatt to be sentenced to 18 to 24 months in prison, unless the judge decides otherwise. He also has agreed to forfeit $11 million.

Repost: The Houston Chronicle still seems to be the only newspaper reporting on this rather interesting court case. While our mainstream media focus in on 'OJ getting squeezed', 83 year old former Coastal Corp CEO, Oscar Wyatt Jr., is charged with funneling millions of dollars to Saddam during the UN oil for food program. Not Treason, but for fraud and conspiracy. If convicted on all counts he could be sentenced to 74 years in prison.

Earlier in the trial prosecutors played an audio tape which basically had Former TX Gov. Connally, Wyatt, and Saddam having a conversation about a possible invasion of Iraq by George H.W. Bush after Iraq invaded Kuwait. It's a wild trial. Wyatt stated that he believed Bush was railroading him since he had advised former presidents JFK, Johnson, Reagan, Nixon, and Clinton, but neither of the Bushes.

And on Monday the trial got even more interesting. Satellites tied to seats, plane trips to Jordan, broken bolts, Iraqi Embassy members hauling off crates. It's way more interesting than OJ. The prosecutors have also introduced another 'star' shady witness, Vincent, who pleaded guilty two years ago and is looking for a plea deal. Here are a few excerpts from the article

Former Iraqi strongman Saddam Hussein told Houston oilman Oscar Wyatt in 1995 that the ranks of Iraq's friends had dwindled so dramatically during the years of economic sanctions he could count them on one hand, former consultant Samir Vincent testified today.

"You are one of them," Saddam told Wyatt, Vincent said.

Wyatt replied, "I appreciate the gesture, Mr. President. I feel the same way about Iraq," Vincent testified.

Vincent testified last week that he accompanied Wyatt on seven or eight trips to Iraq between 1991 and 1997, including a trip capped off by an April 1, 1995 audience with Saddam. Prosecutors showed a picture said to show Saddam sitting with Wyatt, Vincent and former Iraqi government leader Tariq Aziz.

Vincent testified today said that sometime in 1994 or 1995 he and Wyatt flew on a plane to Amman, Jordan, with a crate containing satellite equipment. The crate was strapped to seats aboard the plane, Vincent said.

When they arrived in Amman on their way to Baghdad, Vincent said, officials from Iraq's embassy there took the crate. And eventually, the equipment was installed at the offices of Iraq's State Oil Marketing Organization or SOMO in Baghdad, Vincent said.

The Iraqis later complained, however, they were having trouble with a faulty bolt on a satellite dish after it had been installed on the roof of SOMO's offices, Vincent said. Vincent testified he then brought the problematic bolt back to the United States and turned it over to officials at Wyatt's company, Houston-based Coastal Corp.

Wyatt's lawyers have even claimed they were stopped in 2002 by Customs Enforcement at Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport and documents and an address book were taken from them

In a court filing this week, Wyatt's lawyers said Wyatt was returning to Houston and went through Customs screening at Intercontinental. The address book, the filing said, "was missing from his briefcase when he arrived at his office."

A document filed with the motion and identified as a Customs Service "custody receipt for retained or seized property" said the address book was found at the airport's international terminal. The receipt contained the notation "possible sanction violations." 9/14/07

who was in that address book? The infamous 50 million dolllar tax evader and Scooter Libby longtime client, Mark Rich.

The address book contains the name of Marc Rich, who fled the country after being charged with tax evasion and fraud. In one of his last acts as president, Clinton pardoned the fugitive financier, touching off a firestorm.

The lawyers said letting jurors see the entry would be "totally irrelevant and inflammatory."

"Wyatt's relationship with Rich, if any, adds nothing to the government's allegations of prohibited transactions with Iraq except the prejudicial association of their suspect with a notorious felon," the lawyers wrote.

Stop watching OJ! Saddam is talking from the grave...still talking $hit to the Bu$hes.

My related post
Saddam Hussein Speaks from the Grave

Same Players. Different Scandals.

Saddam Hussein Speaks from the Grave

In a historic lawsuit, 83 year old Texas billionaire oil tycoon, Oscar Wyatt Jr., is accused of fraud and conspiracy charges (not treason) against the United States. The prosecutors suggest Wyatt funneled millions of dollars in kickbacks to Saddam Hussein and himself through the United Nations' oil-for-food program during the international embargo against Iraq.

The lawsuit has the possibilities of blowing another lid off the UN OIL for food program, yet our mainstream media refuse to cover the event. Wyatt, who has advised US presidents from JFK to Bill Clinton, but neither of the Bushes, believes this lawsuit is an assault against him for not 'toting' the Bush Cabal line on the build up to war with Iraq...both times.

Wyatt became known for his contacts in the Middle East, especially in Iraq, and for providing information about his visits there to a U.S. agency, which he did not identify, in the 1980s.

Wyatt was a friend of President Kennedy, a close friend of fellow Texan, President Lyndon Johnson, and on friendly terms with presidents Reagan, Nixon and Clinton.

Wyatt clashed with the Bush administration, though, opposing the U.S. decision to go to war in 2003, Shargel (his attorney)said, and did not get along well with the Bush family. Larry Neumeister, AP 9/10/07

On Wednesday, September 12th 2007, the prosecutors played an amazing audio tape from Wyatt's unprecedented access to Saddam. The tape details Wyatt relaying to Hussein the plans for a US invasion of Iraq to counter Saddam's invasion of Kuwait. Here are a few excerpts from the tape.

Transcript of audio between Wyatt , Saddam, and former TX Governor John Connally

Saddam: "...the American people did not want, were not prepared to die for oil...You know, you know Mr. Wyatt that the Iraqis sold one third of their oil exports to the United States until the second of August.

Wyatt: I was largely responsible for a lot of those sales.

Saddam: So we don't know why Mr. (George H.W.) Bush has cornered the things in this way

Wyatt: I've made it very clear that (former President Bush is) playing with a fire that will burn his hands up to the shoulder. This is no Panama... it won't be a cake walk. This is serious business and I know the Iraqi people well. And he better recognize their resolve Reuters 9/12/07

Oddly enough, the prosecution seems to have forgot that Chevron ships were used to transfer illegal oil exports and giving kickbacks to Iraq while Condi Rice sat on their board of directors. Shouldn't she and the Board of Directors of Chevron be tried for the same crimes and receive the same possibilities of jail time?

Chevron,the second-largest American oil company, is preparing to acknowledge that it should have known kickbacks were being paid to Saddam Hussein on oil it bought from Iraq as part of a defunct United Nations program

The admission is part of a settlement being negotiated with United States prosecutors and includes fines totaling $25 million to $30 million, according to the investigators, who declined to be identified because the settlement was not yet public.

The penalty, which is still being negotiated, would be the largest so far in the United States in connection with investigations of companies involved in the oil-for-food scandal. The Carperbagger Report, 5/09/07

To make matters worse, Chevron renamed a ship after her which was used in the illegal Iraq/UN/Chevron kickback scheme. It has now been renamed because of the incident.

Leaving a wave of controversy in its wake, one of the most visible reminders of the Bush administration's ties to big oil - the 129,000-ton Chevron tanker Condoleezza Rice - has quietly been renamed, Chevron officials acknowledged yesterday.

"We made the change to eliminate the unnecessary attention caused by the vessel's original name," said Chevron spokesman Fred Gorell

The double-hulled, Bahamian-registered oil tanker carrying the moniker of Bush's national security adviser was renamed the Altair Voyager

Chevron officials argued...the ship's name was entirely appropriate because it was a special honor for Rice -- part of a longstanding tradition of naming ships after members of the Chevron board. They noted that George Shultz, David Packard and Kenneth T. Derr were all afforded similar honors
SFGATE 5/05/01

It's always about the oil.

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Has Blackwater USA entered Darfur?

After four years of genocide in the Darfur region of the Sudan, the United Nations has decided to enter the fight to halt the senseless killings. Late in the night, the UN Security Council along with the UK, co-sponsored a resolution to create a 'hybrid' UN force. Comprised of roughly 20,000 'soldiers' and 6 ,ooo 'civilian police'. Are these police Blackwater USA?

Blackwater has long eyed doing business with the UN in the Sudan. They see the Iraq war winding down and are looking for more opportunities for expansion and the continuation of their 'soldier of fortune' corporate business plan. Chris Taylor, head of strategy for Blackwater, stated in 2006 that

"(his company) has a database of thousands of former police and military officers for security assignments...Blackwater personnel could set up perimeters and guard Darfurian villages and refugee camp in support of the U.N."

"There are a lot of crises in the world...so if they can get their foot in the door, it potentially opens up an entire new business sector" stated Peter Singer of the Brookings Institution.

Blackwater USA's previous acknowledgment of wanting to pursue doing 'business' with the UN in the Sudan leads to an eerie suspicion that they are part of this new 'hybrid' force. Although billed by the UN and British officials, the new hybrid force will have a 'predominantly African character'. What does that mean? Are they going to hire the rebels for cheap...Peruvians, Chileans, Fijians...Malyasians...Who? Triple Canopy Inc. has done the same in Iraq and worse.....they've had the contract to guard the Green Zone since 2005, not the U.S. or British military.

"If Sudan does not comply with this resolution, the United States will move for the swift adoption of unilateral and multilateral measures...now Sudan faces a choice. Sudan can choose the path of co-operation or defiance." stated Zalmay Khalilizad, US Ambassador to the UN, former US Ambassador to Afghanistan, former US Ambassador to Iraq, the infamous double source for the Office of the VP and the Pentagon in the prewar intelligence Debacle, Original PNAC member, CFR member, architect of Afghan Mujaheddin policies (Osama's long time buddy).

Where are these soldiers and police coming from? Who is paying who for what contract? Is the Darfur going to become the 'new Iraq' for privately funded sub 'machine gun' contractors?

Luckily the House of Representatives have learned a little since the days of 'no bid contract Iraq'. In an attempt to keep a tab on U.S. corporations participating in the Darfur resolution force, the House passed the Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act(H.R. 180) on Monday. H.R. 180 reads

"....require the identification of companies that conduct business operations in Sudan, to prohibit United States Government contracts with such companies, and for other purposes."

Let US hope the language stays the same.

Privately funded armies are a danger to the United States and the world. Trillions of dollars are spent worldwide on the proliferation of war by nations. We do not need contractors to do the bidding of nations who seek to maximize their profits and minimize their losses. We must not forget that corporate greed and lax oversight gave US Enron, Arthur Andersen, Haliburton, Qwest, Tyco, World Com, and countless other scandoulus companies. Do we really need to risk adding Blackwater USA, DynCorp, and Triple Canopy Inc. to this list. That day nears. Watch the Darfur force unfold...Blackwater USA shall soon appear as a new 'hybrid' force with a 'predominantly African character'.

The cause is noble..but does the means justify the ends. Shouldn't the US be fighting this battle. Is genocide not a cause for US...or is it because China has most of the oil claims to the region, leaving US to fight for 'blood oil' in the Middle East.

Same Players. Different Scandal.