Nigeria: Government Drops Charges Against Cheney, Halliburton

[cory777]

Source: Vanguard/allAfrica.com

THE Federal Government's effort at prosecuting former United States Vice President Richard Bruce 'Dick' Cheney and other officials of Halliburton paid off, following payment of huge sums of money to the coffers of Nigeria, as Nigeria has reportedly agreed to drop charges against Cheney and Halliburton.

The development followed agreement reached between Nigerian officials in the negotiating team and top officials of the United States and Halliburton in a meeting held in London, weekend.

At the meeting, Halliburton agreed to pay about N20 billion as criminal penalty, while promising to liaise with the United States Government to recover the outstanding $I32 million which is currently frozen in Switzerland.

It was gathered that former United States President, George Bush, Snr and former United States Secretary of State, Mr. James Baker were part of the deliberations through conference calls.

Read more: http://allafrica.com/stories/201012140192.html

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[Lasher]

1. So they paid a bribe to get Nigeria to drop the bribery charges?

That's my take.

[boppers]

4. That's pretty much it.

This is mostly an "Oops, forgot to bribe somebody in legal" incident.

[Raster]

9. We've seen these two guys before

"...former United States President, George Bush, Snr and former United States Secretary of State, Mr. James Baker were part of the deliberations..."

[Newsjock]

2. $131 million, according to the converter I just used

They got off cheap.

On edit: If this story had received any airplay at all in the USA, you can bet it would not have been settled this quickly or quietly.

[molly77]

19. There you go again

US Justice System..bribery.If you can't afford to pay the bribe..you have to go to jail. Seems like Mexico.

[aquart]

3. Doesn't anyone in Nigeria know how to negotiate from strength?

Still, they did better than we did on the tax deal.

[tomm2thumbs]

5. hahah re: 'they did better than we did on the tax deal'

of course, they spent at least 4 days on it

[SkyDaddy7]

16. 4 Days??

this is interesting...

http://upload.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x559655

[Alamuti Lotus]

7. Boko Haram

but they're "the bad guys"

[PuffedMica]

13. Dick Cheney's hired mercenaries from Xe (Blackwater) convinced the Nigerians to deal

I wouldn't be surprised at all to learn that part of the deal included taking the money, forgetting about criminal charges, and remaining alive.

[earcandle]

6. It is not fair that criminals can buy their way out of justice. Bernie Madoff can't, why should

these guys be able to? 

[DCKit]

14. Bernie ran out of money, Darth Cheney has the full assets of the Fed and Treasury behind him.

Halliburton will just keep over-charging U.S. taxpayers until they make it all back... with interest. Unless Timmy and Ben just cut a check for them.

Either way, we still end up paying the bribe.

[Scruffy1]

21. Bernie stole from the wealthy

It's not a crime to steal from the poor. What was the smallest amount he would take? If I remember right all of his "accounts" were over five figures which is more than I have after over four decades of work.

[KansDem]

33. That's about the size of it...

Madoff had the audacity to steal from the rich...

[IScreamSundays]

8. And so it goes....

This world is so corrupt. No chance for the guy that wants to play fair.

[Delphinus]

18. I know.

I am *so* in need of that parallel universe where truth, justice, love, caring, and compassion are the "rule of law".

[samplegirl]

10. Paid.........and a done deal before

media even reported it. Imagine that!!!

[avaistheone1]

11. Cheney is such a sleaze,

:puke: :puke: :puke:

[chervilant]

12. Cheney

is, at the very least, a definitive sociopath.

[avaistheone1]

32. Absolutely!!

[bitchkitty]

15. Shameless spawn of hell.

Their payment is proof of their guilt, but they won't pay in this life.

[SpiralHawk]

17. Money talks

disgustipating

[sweetapogee]

20. I always say...

Every dark cloud has a silver lining.

Since we are not getting Darth Cheney to stand trial overseas, let us now proceed to use this revelation to open the way for President Obama to put his full weight into urging Congress to investigate Cheney and Halliburton for the recent upswing in prices of gas at the pump. Domestic price gouging is illegal and the President and Congressional Dem's should now proceed with making trouble for Cheney on this matter. Justice and the American way as it were.

[dixiegrrrrl]

27. You are so cute when you are optimistic.

:evilgrin:

[sweetapogee]

30. the pukes

are going to pull out all of the stops, meaning that they are going to investigate the President and his administration full bore. A good defense is a strong offense? Should we now start insisting on all things investigative?

[Nihil]

22. So much for the hopes of getting justice from that direction then. (n/t)

:puke:

[Hugin]

23. Looks like the check cleared.

Yup.

[lunatica]

24. Cheney has been reduced to buying his freedom

Monetary compensation may have been what the Nigerians wanted to start with. It seems they gained much more out of dropping the charges than they would by continuing an un-winnable prosecution. I think they won more than they lost.

The fact that Cheney goes free doesn't mean anything. He would have gone free anyway.

If we want to get even small satisfaction out of this it should be that Cheney has to keep throwing money at his problems. My fervent hope is that he has to do this every day for the rest of his life. May he enjoy his freedom from his miserable hook up to his heart pump.

Cheney is a slave to his condition. He's living on borrowed time and only because he has a pump for a heart. I'm sure he's reminded of his impending mortality every day of his existence.

[dogfacedboy]

25. Cheney won't be around long. See him lately? Looking like death is catching up to him.

[robcon]

26. I don't think the source is reliable.

Maybe the indictment was just a negotiating tool (blackmail) to collect money from Halliburton. But I doubt it.

[sabra]

28. looks like it's not official yet, but if I had to guess it will happen...

http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFJOE6BD07820101214

Nigeria may strike deal in Halliburton, Cheney case

<snip>

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said it met with officials representing Cheney and Halliburton in London last week after filing 16-count charges at a federal high court in Abuja in a case dating back to the mid-1990s.

Halliburton, which has said the Nigerian charges have no legal basis, could not immediately be reached to comment on the outcome of the meeting. But EFCC spokesman Femi Babafemi said an offer had been made to pay fines totalling up to $250 million.

"They have made offers of fines to be paid in penalties. They offered to pay $120 million in addition to the repatriation of $130 million trapped in Switzerland," Babafemi said.

"It will need to be ratified by the government and we expect a decision by the end of the week," he said.

[sabra]

29. anyone find it interesting that Poppy Bush and Baker were brought in to broker the deal?

[Angry Dragon]

31. Glad to see the bushes are still playing their sleazy game

The evil empire rules ...........