Probe Links Pinochet, Allbritton

[seemslikeadream]

By Kathleen Day and Terence O'Hara
Washington Post Staff Writers
Tuesday, September 14, 2004; Page E01

An internal probe of Riggs Bank's dealings with former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet has found that former chairman Joe L. Allbritton was more actively engaged in Pinochet's banking business than has been previously disclosed, according to sources.

On at least two occasions in the 1990s, according to the bank's investigation, Allbritton and Carol Thompson, Pinochet's personal account manager at Riggs, flew to Chile on Riggs's Gulfstream jet to meet with Pinochet, according to sources familiar with the probe. The sources spoke only on the condition of anonymity because of a criminal investigation into the bank's handling of foreign accounts.

A spokesman for Allbritton confirmed that the two men had met on two occasions but said Allbritton was not actively involved in managing Pinochet's money and would not confirm that the two had met in Chile.

The bank's investigation follows a report issued in July by the permanent subcommittee on investigations of the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee that detailed efforts by Riggs to hide the identity of account holder Pinochet from banking regulators. The Senate report also found that Riggs structured the accounts and conducted millions of dollars in transactions that appeared to be designed to hide Pinochet's money from international law enforcement officials. In May, Riggs was fined a record $25 million in civil penalties for violations of laws designed to prevent money laundering.

more
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A18882-2004Sep13.html

[Eloriel]

1. Good find, thanks n/t

[struggle4progress]

2. kick for fascists and their bankers

:kick: