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A Texan oil billionaire Oscar Wyatt 'gave
millions to Saddam'
11.9.2007
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Texas oilman in UN oil-for-food scandal goes on
trial
September 11, 2007
New York, -- A Texan oil billionaire has gone
on trial in the US accused of paying millions of
dollars in kickbacks to Saddam Hussein's government.
Oscar Wyatt, 83, is said to have given the money to
Baghdad officials to illegally buy extra Iraqi oil
under the United Nations' oil-for-food programme.
This scheme ran from 1996 to 2003 and allowed Iraq
to finance humanitarian goods purchases through
sales of oil.
Mr Wyatt, who pleads his innocence, could be facing
a 74-year sentence.
'Presidents' friend'
Assistant US Attorney Stephen Miller claimed in his
opening statement to a Manhattan court that: "When
the world imposed sanctions on Iraq, Oscar Wyatt
stepped up to help them evade sanctions." |
Texas oil tycoon Oscar Wyatt, former chairman and
founder of Coastal Corp, departs from Federal Court
in New York after a pre-trial hearing August 30,
2007 Reuters. Wyatt insists he is innocent |
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By contrast, Mr Wyatt's lawyers insist he "did not
pay any surcharge to the Iraqis".
They instead claim the case against Mr Wyatt was
"entwined" with his opposition to both US-led wars
against Iraq.
Mr Wyatt's lawyers added that while the World War II
veteran was "no friend or admirer" of either
President Bush, he was a friend and confident to
most other US presidents from John F Kennedy to Bill
Clinton.
At the time of Mr Wyatt's alleged crimes, Iraq was
under United Nations (UN) sanctions imposed as a
result of its 1990 invasion of neighbouring Kuwait.
The sale of its oil during this period was supposed
to have been extensively monitored by the UN, but
Iraqi officials started to demand extra payments to
win such contracts and gain extra oil above the
allowed levels.
Self-made man
Iraq's post-Saddam Hussain government alleged in
2005 that as many as 2,000 Western businessmen,
organisations and UN officials were involved in the
scandal.
That same year, the US Senate concluded that
corruption had allowed Saddam Hussein's government
to pocket about $13.6bn (£6.7bn).
Mr Wyatt faces five charges including engaging in
prohibited financial transactions with Iraq.
A self-made man, Mr Wyatt started his business life
selling oil drill parts from the back of his car.
In 2000 and 2001 he sold his company Coastal to El
Paso for $17bn in stock.
BBC | AP
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