Brazil’s former top education official was arrested on corruption charges, the president said on Wednesday, noting his former aide will answer for his actions ahead of elections later this year in which graft scandals loom large for voters. “If he is innocent, no problem. If he is guilty, he will pay,” President Jair Bolsonaro told local broadcaster Radio Itatiaia, referring to former Education Minister Milton Ribeiro. “The government is collaborating with the investigation. We don’t condone any of this.” In a statement, Ribeiro’s lawyer Daniel Bialski said his client’s arrest was “unfair, unmotivated, unnecessary” and that he was filing a … Continue reading Brazil’s ex-education minister arrested on corruption charges

Two brothers from the wealthy Gupta family have been arrested in the United Arab Emirates, the South African and Emirati authorities have announced. Atul and Rajesh Gupta are accused in South Africa of profiting from their close links with former president Jacob Zuma and exerting unfair influence. Extradition talks are taking place between the two countries. The brothers fled South Africa after a judicial commission began probing their involvement in corruption in 2018. They are accused of paying financial bribes in order to win lucrative state contracts and influence powerful government appointments. A statement from Dubai Police said the two … Continue reading Wealthy South African brothers arrested in UAE

A Moldovan court on Thursday placed former president and pro-Russian opposition leader Igor Dodon under house arrest for 30 days to allow prosecutors to investigate allegations of corruption and treason.Moldova’s former President Igor Dodon is escorted by law enforcement officers before a court hearing in Chisinau The Ciocana district court in Chisinau, the capital, made the order two days after Dodon’s house was searched and he was placed under detention for 72 hours. Speaking to the media after the court hearing, Dodon said the case was politically motivated, a charge the government has rejected. Dodon told journalists that the judge … Continue reading Moldova places former President Dodon under house arrest

The US Justice Department wants to seize a multi-million dollar Los Angeles mansion, which the government alleges was bought with bribe money paid to an Armenian politician. US authorities said on Thursday that the 33,652-square-foot (3,126-square-metre) address in Holmby Hills was purchased “with bribes paid by an Armenian businessman” to Armenia’s former finance minister Gagik Khachatryan in 2011. The disgraced politician and his two sons, who are accused of taking bribes in Armenia, allegedly used money paid by Sedrak Arustamyan to Mr Khachatryan and his family for favourable tax treatment, the Justice Department alleges. US authorities said in a court filing that Mr Arustamyan … Continue reading US to seize $63m LA mansion involving Armenian politician

Sanctions have now been put on Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik, with the U.S. accusing him of “corrupt activities” involving a critical peace accord. The Biden administration placed the sanctions against Dodik on Wednesday, with the Treasury Department alleging he has a history of bribing and grifting to achieve wealth during his time in office. However, the primary reason for the sanctions is to punish the leader for alleged violations of the Dayton Accords, a peace agreement written in 1995 sponsored by the United States that helped to end the Bosnian War.Milorad Dodik According to U.S. officials, Dodik has been … Continue reading U.S. sanctions Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik

Prosecutors in Peru have found $20,000 (£15,000) stashed in a bathroom inside the presidential palace. The prosecutors raided the palace on Friday as part of an investigation into allegations of influence peddling. Bruno Pacheco, who resigned from his post as President Pedro Castillo’s chief of staff on Friday, told investigators that the money was his but denied any wrongdoing. He said that the stash was a combination of his savings and salary. Mr Pacheco’s monthly salary amounts to 25,000 soles ($6,250; £4,600), an official document reveals. According to the document, he did not tell investigators why he kept such a … Continue reading Peru’s chief of staff stashed $20,000 in palace bathroom

Companies owned by family and friends of former Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila had millions of dollars of public funds funnelled through their bank accounts, according to Africa’s biggest data leak. The money was transferred to the companies’ accounts at the Congolese arm of the BGFI bank. Millions of dollars in cash were then taken out of the accounts. Mr Kabila was president at the time of the bank transfers. He has declined to respond to our questions over the transfers. The leak included more than three million documents and information on millions of transactions from the BGFI … Continue reading Millions transferred to Joseph Kabila allies in DR Congo data leak

Former Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo, arrested in the US two years ago on corruption charges, has been cleared for extradition back to Peru. A US judge approved the move on Tuesday, saying sufficient evidence had been presented in a case against the former president to suggest wrongdoing. Mr Toledo is accused of taking $20m (£15m) in bribes from the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht, while in office between 2001 and 2006. He has denied all charges against him. The 75-year-old, who has been living in the US state of California and has been a visiting scholar at Stanford University, has previously … Continue reading Peru’s ex-President Alejandro Toledo cleared for extradition from US

Former South African President Jacob Zuma has been released from prison on medical parole, prison authorities have confirmed. Zuma, 79, was sentenced to a 15-month prison sentence two months ago by the country’s Constitutional Court for contempt after he refused to appear before a judicial commission probing corruption during his nearly decade-long presidency. The former president began his sentence on July 8 at the Estcourt prison in the eastern KwaZulu-Natal province, about 180km (110 miles) northwest of Durban, before he was admitted to a hospital where he later underwent surgery. Two weeks later, he was allowed to leave prison to … Continue reading South African ex-president released on medical parole

The son of Mozambique’s ex-president and 18 others have gone on trial over the $2bn (£1.5bn) “tuna bonds” affair. Ndambi Guebuza, son of former President Armando Guebuza, and the others face charges of blackmail, embezzlement and money laundering. Mozambique’s biggest corruption scandal led donors including the IMF to cut funding for the country and the economy to collapse. The trial is being held in a large canvas tent in the grounds of a maximum-security prison in the outskirts of the capital, Maputo. The city’s courtrooms were deemed too small for the scores of lawyers, 70 witnesses and 250 media workers … Continue reading Ex- Mozambique President’s son on trial over ‘Tuna bonds’

Uganda handed nearly $30m to members of parliament (MPs) to buy new cars this week, sparking outrage in a poor country where the coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc. Each of the 529 lawmakers received 200 million shillings ($56,500) to get new vehicles at a time when covid-19 cases are surging. On June 18, President Yoweri Museveni announced curbs on movement and shuttered schools, churches and bars for at least six weeks. “It is unacceptable for a government to buy luxuries to a small group in parliament, who continue to receive monthly pay of more than 30 million shillings (about $8,000) … Continue reading Shame Of A Nation: Outrage after Uganda MPs get $30m to buy cars amid

A gilded toilet and other luxuries were found in a mansion raided by Russian investigators, who say they busted a gang of corrupt police. The Investigative Committee (SK) website has a video showing extravagant interiors in a huge mansion, among many properties raided. Col Alexei Safonov, head of traffic police in the southern Stavropol region, was arrested with six others. Traffic police allegedly took bribes for issuing fake permits to businesses. The permits allegedly enabled drivers to pass through police checkpoints with unauthorised cargoes of grain and building materials. The accused have not yet commented on the charges. Police forces across … Continue reading Gold toilet found in Russian police bribery probe