This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/08/world/asia/hong-kong-patrick-ho-bribery-chad-senegal.html

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Former Hong Kong Official Pleads Not Guilty in Africa Bribery Case Former Hong Kong Official Pleads Not Guilty in Africa Bribery Case
(about 2 hours later)
A former Hong Kong government official pleaded not guilty in New York on Monday to federal charges that he tried to bribe Chad’s president and Uganda’s foreign minister in exchange for oil rights for a Chinese energy company.A former Hong Kong government official pleaded not guilty in New York on Monday to federal charges that he tried to bribe Chad’s president and Uganda’s foreign minister in exchange for oil rights for a Chinese energy company.
The former official, Chi Ping Patrick Ho, and a former foreign minister of Senegal, Cheikh Gadio, were arrested in November and charged with money laundering and violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.The former official, Chi Ping Patrick Ho, and a former foreign minister of Senegal, Cheikh Gadio, were arrested in November and charged with money laundering and violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
Trained as an eye surgeon in the United States, Mr. Ho, 68, served as Hong Kong’s home affairs secretary from 2002 to 2007. After leaving office, he became the secretary general of the China Energy Fund Committee, a Hong Kong research organization that gets financing from CEFC China Energy Company, a major energy conglomerate that is based in Shanghai and has ties to the Chinese Communist Party.Trained as an eye surgeon in the United States, Mr. Ho, 68, served as Hong Kong’s home affairs secretary from 2002 to 2007. After leaving office, he became the secretary general of the China Energy Fund Committee, a Hong Kong research organization that gets financing from CEFC China Energy Company, a major energy conglomerate that is based in Shanghai and has ties to the Chinese Communist Party.
According to United States prosecutors, Mr. Ho took part in two bribery schemes. One involved a $2 million bribe offered to President Idriss Déby of Chad “in exchange for securing business advantages” for the conglomerate in its effort to obtain oil rights in the country without facing international competition. Mr. Gadio was the conduit for the offer, and was compensated by Mr. Ho with $400,000 wired through New York, the prosecutors said.According to United States prosecutors, Mr. Ho took part in two bribery schemes. One involved a $2 million bribe offered to President Idriss Déby of Chad “in exchange for securing business advantages” for the conglomerate in its effort to obtain oil rights in the country without facing international competition. Mr. Gadio was the conduit for the offer, and was compensated by Mr. Ho with $400,000 wired through New York, the prosecutors said.
Prosecutors say the second scheme involved a $500,000 bribe, again wired through New York, to an account controlled by Uganda’s foreign minister, Sam Kutesa, and gifts and promises that profits would be shared with businesses controlled by his family from a potential joint venture involving the conglomerate.Prosecutors say the second scheme involved a $500,000 bribe, again wired through New York, to an account controlled by Uganda’s foreign minister, Sam Kutesa, and gifts and promises that profits would be shared with businesses controlled by his family from a potential joint venture involving the conglomerate.
The governments of Uganda and Chad have denied the allegations, as has Mr. Gadio.The governments of Uganda and Chad have denied the allegations, as has Mr. Gadio.
If convicted, Mr. Ho could face more than a decade in prison. At a hearing in Federal District Court in Manhattan before Judge Katherine B. Forrest, he pleaded not guilty to all eight charges. His lawyer, Edward Y. Kim, declined to comment for this article.If convicted, Mr. Ho could face more than a decade in prison. At a hearing in Federal District Court in Manhattan before Judge Katherine B. Forrest, he pleaded not guilty to all eight charges. His lawyer, Edward Y. Kim, declined to comment for this article.
Douglas S. Zolkind, a federal prosecutor, told Judge Forrest that “voluminous” evidence would have to be shared with Mr. Ho’s lawyers, including “several hundred thousand documents consisting of emails and attachments” from more than 10 accounts that prosecutors received warrants to search. Many of the documents are in Chinese, and some are in French.Douglas S. Zolkind, a federal prosecutor, told Judge Forrest that “voluminous” evidence would have to be shared with Mr. Ho’s lawyers, including “several hundred thousand documents consisting of emails and attachments” from more than 10 accounts that prosecutors received warrants to search. Many of the documents are in Chinese, and some are in French.
He also estimated that “multiple thousands of pages of bank and financial and wire records relating to multiple different entities” would need to be shared, along with about seven boxes of paper documents and information from 11 phones, four computers, a camera and other equipment seized during a search of the energy organization’s offices in Virginia; data from two cellphones, an iPad and multiple USB drives seized from Mr. Ho; records from three iPhones, a Samsung phone, and multiple USB drives and SIM cards seized from Mr. Gadio.He also estimated that “multiple thousands of pages of bank and financial and wire records relating to multiple different entities” would need to be shared, along with about seven boxes of paper documents and information from 11 phones, four computers, a camera and other equipment seized during a search of the energy organization’s offices in Virginia; data from two cellphones, an iPad and multiple USB drives seized from Mr. Ho; records from three iPhones, a Samsung phone, and multiple USB drives and SIM cards seized from Mr. Gadio.
The volume of information is so great, Judge Forrest said, that “my guess is that it will be a year” before the start of the trial. Then he said, “We really can go to trial whenever the defense is prepared to go to trial.”The volume of information is so great, Judge Forrest said, that “my guess is that it will be a year” before the start of the trial. Then he said, “We really can go to trial whenever the defense is prepared to go to trial.”
At an earlier hearing, on Dec. 1, Mr. Ho was denied bail. A federal prosecutor, Daniel C. Richenthal, argued that “if he were to make it back to China, or for that matter, Uganda or Chad, the countries in which he committed the bribery offenses, we can never get him back.” At a hearing on Dec. 1, Mr. Ho was denied bail. A federal prosecutor, Daniel C. Richenthal, argued that “if he were to make it back to China, or for that matter, Uganda or Chad, the countries in which he committed the bribery offenses, we can never get him back.” Mr. Ho’s lawyer, Mr. Kim, argued that “to flee would be a disgrace,” and said, “It would destroy everything he’s worked for and it would destroy his international reputation.”
Mr. Ho’s lawyer, Mr. Kim, argued that “to flee would be a disgrace,” and said, “It would destroy everything he’s worked for and it would destroy his international reputation.” Mr. Ho’s lawyers on Friday asked Judge Forrest to allow Mr. Ho to live under house arrest, with electronic monitoring, on a $10 million bond, with an agreement that he waive extradition, to minimize the chance he might flee.
Mr. Ho’s lawyers on Friday asked Judge Forrest to allow Mr. Ho to live under house arrest, with electronic monitoring, on a $10 million bond, with an agreement that he waive extradition, to minimize the possibility that he might flee.
The case has received coverage in China, where CEFC, a once-obscure company, has become a major energy player, with investments in Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa.The case has received coverage in China, where CEFC, a once-obscure company, has become a major energy player, with investments in Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa.
CEFC is one of a small number of Chinese companies to receive Beijing’s approval to pursue high-profile deals at a time when the government has largely restricted overseas acquisitions.CEFC is one of a small number of Chinese companies to receive Beijing’s approval to pursue high-profile deals at a time when the government has largely restricted overseas acquisitions.