Halliburton settles Nigeria bribery claims for $35 million

[Elmore Furth]

Source: CNN

Oilfield contractor Halliburton has agreed to pay Nigeria $35 million to settle bribery allegations that led to charges against former Vice President Dick Cheney and other executives, the company announced Tuesday.

Cheney, who was Halliburton's CEO in the 1990s, and nine others were charged with conspiracy and "distribution of gratification to public officials" in a long-running case involving the company and its Kellogg, Brown and Root subsidiary. Nigerian officials accused the company of paying bribes to secure $6 billion worth of contracts for a liquefied natural gas project in the Niger Delta.

The $35 million includes $2.5 million to pay legal fees and other expenses for the Nigerian government, Halliburton said.

Halliburton also agreed tp help Nigeria recover money from a Swiss bank account set up by a former agent for its Nigerian joint venture TSKJ, the company said. Nigerian officials said as much as $130 million had been stashed in Switzerland.



Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/africa/12/21/nigeria.halliburton/index.html?eref=rss_world&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_world+%28RSS%3A+World%29

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Sweet. Cheney is off the hook.

[Rhiannon12866]

1. In other words, a payoff...

Kind of ironic, isn't it? :grr:

[boppers]

3. They forget to pay off the justice department.

They're just settling the bill.

[Rhiannon12866]

4. Halliburton pleaded guilty, but

"The Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission investigated that joint venture extensively and found no suggestion of any impropriety by Dick Cheney in his role of CEO of Halliburton..." :shrug: :eyes:

[aquart]

2. From $500 million to $35 million?

Nigeria hire Obama as their negotiator?

[kickysnana]

5. Oh dear, "We have already established what you are, now we are haggling on price." n/t

[Lord Magus]

6. The Nigerian government accepted a bribe to kill a bribery case.

Nope, not the slightest bit surprising.

[gmoney]

7. Just got an e-mail from a Nigerian prince... needs my help getting $35 million INTO the country!

Har...

[Rex]

8. So from 500 mil, to 250 mil, to 35 mil.

For 6 BILLION!? What a sweet deal!

[burrowowl]

9. Only a paltry

$35 M shame. Cheney is probably worth more than that.

[burrowowl]

10. Only a paltry

$35 M shame. Cheney is probably worth more than that.

[LawnKorn]

11. Cheney and nine others were bought out of jail for $35,000,000

That would mean Cheney received income of $3,500,000. He should pay tax on that money, and if he doesn't pay his quarterly estimated tax on time, he should face stiff fines or even imprisonment.