Is Atiku Abubakar Really Free From the United States $40m Money Laundering Allegations?
Nigerians are wondering if the United States’ $40 million money laundering allegation levelled against the former vice president of Nigeria and the current presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is still valid.
Apparently, for years the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has not travelled to the United States believing it to be due to the money laundering case hanging on his neck.
The only time he went to the U.S was before the 2019 general election to prove a point to his supporters that he had no issue with the United States.
However, before he dared enter the United States in 2019, the former vice president negotiated the entry.
After that trip, Mr Abubakar has never gone to the United States except a few days ago, since the 2023 general elections are around the corner. Again, it was gathered that his present entry into the United States was through the same negotiation.
Was Atiku Abubakar indeed barred from entry into the United States before now? What were the factors or reasons for his initial ban? Have those issues been addressed? Has he been discharged and acquitted of those allegations in the U.S? Why this so-called celebration of his present entry into the United States if there are no undertones?
Atiku Abubakar’s international money laundering case history span from 2000 to 2008, according to a United States website: www.hsgac.senate.gov/
“Jennifer Douglas, a United States citizen and the fourth wife of Atiku Abubakar, the former Vice President and former candidate for President of Nigeria, helped her husband bring over $40 million in suspect funds into the United States through wire transfers sent by offshore corporations to U.S. bank accounts.”
In a 2008 civil complaint, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission alleged that Ms. Douglas received over $2 million in bribe payments in 2001 and 2002, from Siemens AG, a major German corporation.
While Ms. Douglas denies wrongdoing, Siemens has already pled guilty to United States criminal charges and settled civil charges related to bribery and told the Subcommittee that it sent the payments to one of her U.S. accounts.
In 2007, Mr. Abubakar was the subject of corruption allegations in Nigeria related to the Petroleum Technology Development Fund.
Of the $40 million in suspect funds, $25 million was wire transferred by offshore corporations into more than 30 U.S. bank accounts opened by Ms. Douglas, primarily by Guernsey Trust Company Nigeria Ltd., LetsGo Ltd. Inc., and Sima Holding Ltd.
The U.S banks maintaining those accounts were, at times, unaware of her PEP status, and they allowed multiple, large offshore wire transfers into her accounts.
As each bank began to question the offshore wire transfers, Ms. Douglas indicated that all of the funds came from her husband and professed little familiarity with the offshore corporations actually sending her money.
When one bank closed her account due to the offshore wire transfers, her lawyer helped convince other banks to provide a new account.
In addition, two of the offshore corporations wire transferred about $14 million over five years to American University in Washington, D.C., to pay for consulting services related to the development of a Nigerian university founded by Mr. Abubakar.
American University accepted the wire transfers without asking about the identity of the offshore corporations or the source of their funds, because under current law, the university had no legal obligation to inquire.”
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Speaking on the recent development, the former Edo State Commissioner for Information, Kassim Afegbua said that contrary to media reports, Atiku Abubakar did not hold any crucial meeting with the critical stakeholders of the United States State Department.
Afegbua, in a statement issued on Sunday, said: “This level of dubiety, desperation, boldness, wildness, and audacity was unbecoming, to say the least.”
He said, “Some even said that Alhaji Atiku actually travelled under the cover of Governor Aminu Tambuwal’s diplomatic entourage—what a reduction and debasement! Entering into the U.S under this guise vitiates the headlines we see here on his trip. “
Afegbua stated categorically that Atiku travelled to the United States on negotiated entry, just like he did in 2019.
He said the pictures on display are of members of Atiku’s entourage who left Nigeria to the United States to gallivant
Afegbua stated: “In a deliberate effort to impress his supporters and followers, Atiku Abubakar and his musketeers have again travelled to the United States on negotiated entry just like in 2019. This time, he was seen with his musketeers parading empty corridors in photo-ops to impress us back home. “
He alleged that the truth of the matter was that Atiku still has questions to answer because he has not been discharged and acquitted of his corruption allegations that border on money laundering in the United States
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