Chilean Judge Questions Pinochet on Riggs Money

[Snazzy]

Chilean Judge Questions Pinochet on Riggs Money

45 minutes ago

SANTIAGO, Chile (Reuters) - A Chilean judge has questioned former dictator Augusto Pinochet about secret U.S. bank accounts worth up to $8 million, a member of Pinochet's legal defense said on Friday.

It was the first time Pinochet, 88, has appeared before a judge since the Supreme Court ruled in 2001 he was mentally incompetent to stand trial in a landmark human rights case.

"Yes, he was questioned," an aide told reporters, asking his name be withheld.

While Pinochet has long been accused of human rights abuses, the discovery of the U.S. accounts prompted the first accusations of corruption. Pinochet's family and lawyers have denied he stole public monies.

....

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=586&e=5&u=/nm/20040820/wl_nm/chile_pinochet_questioning_dc

[Octafish]

1. Riggs Bank was headed by BFEE's Jonathan Bush

It really is a small world for money launderers, dictators and terrorists. Hope they all smoke in hell for their treachery, thievery and murder. Wishing won't make it so, unfortunately. And, thus, the Bush Family Evil Empire won't go down until exposed to the light of day. So toward that end, some very current background...

Northern Laundromats for Southern Fat Cats

Miren Gutiérrez*

The U.S. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) estimates that up to 1.5 trillion dollars is laundered annually around the world; much of this is laundered by rich institutions in rich countries, rather than by tropical offshore centres.

ROME, Aug 20 (IPS) - In the world of high finance, PEP is not a stimulant to keep you awake on the trading floor; it means "politically exposed person." Handling a PEP bank account is big, though risky business.

Ask Riggs. The bank based in Washington has recently been punished by federal bank regulators with a record 25 million dollar fine for handling PEPs improperly and for managing accounts of questionable origin held by foreigners.

The U.S. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) estimates that up to 1.5 trillion (1,500 billion) dollars is laundered annually around the world. Much of this is laundered by rich institutions in rich countries, rather than by tropical offshore centres.

SNIP...

The suspicious transactions at Riggs were exposed by a report last month from the U.S. Senate permanent subcommittee on investigations. The reported transactions included dealings with fat cats from poor or developing countries such as oil-rich Equatorial Guinea's Teodoro Obiang Nguema who heads one of the most corrupt states, and former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet.

CONTINUED...

http://www.ipsnews.net/interna.asp?idnews=25160

[Snazzy]

5. That is a must read! Nice to see somebody making the connections

and somebody in the press, not just us yokels. They are using the same business plan from Iran-contra/BCCI/probably even Prescott's nazi's. Hardly anybody seems to notice how simple and how ugly it is. On the face it is complicated, many countries and financial plays are involved--complicated enough to rid the beast of any investigation by the US media. Underneath it's always the same, propping up some brutal thug somewhere for the narrow interests of our own robber barons. Loot resources, kill anybody who gets in way, sell guns.

[struggle4progress]

2. kick

:kick:

[Judi Lynn]

3. We need as much on this story as possible. Thanks.

[Snazzy]

4. Pinochet's Ashburton and Althorp shell companies

Where the loot was stashed by Riggs when he was arrested in England. Been trying to figure out what to make of that since this now archived thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=686504#691064

Ashburton is a UK/South African investment management group.

But why Althorp I'd wondered (while thinking about Fastow's Enron shell co.'s like Deathstar and what that told us). One search on Althorp turned out the factoid that's the name of the estate where Princess Diana is buried (I'm not much of a royal watcher). Nothing to do with the Thatchers, I thought, dead end (no pun...).

But turns out that there's another Althorp estate. In South Africa, right next to Mark Thatcher's and Obiang's playboy son, Teodoro
Nguema Obiang. Earl Spencer, who I assume is a close drinking buddy of Mark Thatcher's. (Althorp and Spencer are related family names/titles).

So, recap:

Pinochet's shell companies oddly named after Brit royals.

Set up by Riggs Bank.

The names come together in the Cape Town suburb of Constantina (wine country), where all the players in the Equatorial Guinea live:

Simon Mann -- merc leader for failed EG coup plot and former UK special forces guy lives; most of the rest of the mercs from SA too

Mark Thatcher -- Margaret's son and arms dealer; history of odd dealings in Chile, Thatchers are strong Pinochet pals

Teodoro Nguema Obiang -- EG dictator's son, has multi-million dollar mansion too, paid for with money from Riggs provided by US oil companies

The Earl Spencer -- another playboy Brit scumbag, Princess Di's brother (don't know much about him yet, but these are the drinking buddies), other family name is Althorp (a former Baron), which is what he likes to name his mansions

Ashburton -- Investment management in SA and UK/Jersey (Riggs in Jersey too). Specializes in wealthy people like Pinochet and doing offshore business. Links to De Beers and SA banking. Address: 17 Hilary Street, St Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands

Riggs -- Address: 27 Hill Street, St Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands (a block away from Ashburton)

There ya have it, two brutal dictators linked to all the same people and the same BFEE bank. Of course when you start looking at the oil companies, notably the former Triton (now A. Hess) and Marathon, you get the heavy Bushco. side of the equation, and Saudis too, including Mahfouz. (Mark Thatcher pops up in that mess too. I'd like to know a bit more about his time living in Texas.)

We were doing some work on that side of it in these threads:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=728495

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=734961