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International aid experts rig £27m UN contract for medicines in Africa to secure money for London property International aid experts rig £27m UN contract for medicines in Africa to secure money for London property
(36 minutes later)
Two international aid experts rigged a £27m UN contract for medicines to Africa to secure millions of pounds in kickbacks to buy homes in upmarket parts of London.Two international aid experts rigged a £27m UN contract for medicines to Africa to secure millions of pounds in kickbacks to buy homes in upmarket parts of London.
The Dutch consultants rigged the tendering process for a contract to supply life-saving drugs to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to ensure victory for a Danish pharma company – and then funnelled their “fee” through four jurisdictions.The Dutch consultants rigged the tendering process for a contract to supply life-saving drugs to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to ensure victory for a Danish pharma company – and then funnelled their “fee” through four jurisdictions.
The two men could have earned up to £3.2m from the complex operation. They employed a crooked British accountant to set up a company to channel the money that was eventually used to buy homes in Highgate and Maida Vale.The two men could have earned up to £3.2m from the complex operation. They employed a crooked British accountant to set up a company to channel the money that was eventually used to buy homes in Highgate and Maida Vale.
After an eight-year investigation, police secured the conviction of the third and final major player in the international scam on 30 July.After an eight-year investigation, police secured the conviction of the third and final major player in the international scam on 30 July.
Art Scheffer, 62, from The Netherlands, was convicted of money laundering and corruption in the week that the Prime Minister declared in a speech in Singapore that the London property market was not a place for foreigners “to stash your dodgy cash”.Art Scheffer, 62, from The Netherlands, was convicted of money laundering and corruption in the week that the Prime Minister declared in a speech in Singapore that the London property market was not a place for foreigners “to stash your dodgy cash”.
Children beg for food in the provincial capital of Goma (Getty)
Southwark Crown Court heard that Scheffer and his accomplice Guido Bakker used their experience working on UN contracts to ensure their chosen firm won the multimillion-pound deal to supply drugs to combat Aids, tuberculosis and malaria.Southwark Crown Court heard that Scheffer and his accomplice Guido Bakker used their experience working on UN contracts to ensure their chosen firm won the multimillion-pound deal to supply drugs to combat Aids, tuberculosis and malaria.
The pair travelled to Copenhagen in 2004 to meet representatives from Danish company Missionpharma before it bid for the contract run by the UN Development Programme. In return for securing the contract, the two men negotiated a cut.The pair travelled to Copenhagen in 2004 to meet representatives from Danish company Missionpharma before it bid for the contract run by the UN Development Programme. In return for securing the contract, the two men negotiated a cut.
The pair then used their influence to scupper Missionpharma’s only competitor for the work and passed on key information from a UN insider in DRC to ensure the Danish firm secured the contract.The pair then used their influence to scupper Missionpharma’s only competitor for the work and passed on key information from a UN insider in DRC to ensure the Danish firm secured the contract.
Detective Sergeant Paul Farley, who led the investigation for the City of London Police, said: “Art Scheffer and Guido Bakker were respected professionals whose heads were turned by greed.Detective Sergeant Paul Farley, who led the investigation for the City of London Police, said: “Art Scheffer and Guido Bakker were respected professionals whose heads were turned by greed.
“They chose to cash-in on their positions of authority and in doing so massively compromised the awarding of a contract designed to deliver millions of pounds of medical aid to people in Africa.”“They chose to cash-in on their positions of authority and in doing so massively compromised the awarding of a contract designed to deliver millions of pounds of medical aid to people in Africa.”
The men tried to hide what they had done through a complex set of financial manoeuvres. Missionpharma paid money to a company based in the US state of Delaware, with a bank account in Belgium.The men tried to hide what they had done through a complex set of financial manoeuvres. Missionpharma paid money to a company based in the US state of Delaware, with a bank account in Belgium.
The money was then moved to a UK company set up by British accountant Patrick Orr – and then on to a Jersey company owned by the two Dutch men. They spent the first tranche of the cash they secured on two flats and a house, police said.The money was then moved to a UK company set up by British accountant Patrick Orr – and then on to a Jersey company owned by the two Dutch men. They spent the first tranche of the cash they secured on two flats and a house, police said.
The case became one of the first to be investigated by the City of London police’s anti-corruption unit after it was set up in 2007 following criticism of Britain’s performance in tackling bribery abroad.The case became one of the first to be investigated by the City of London police’s anti-corruption unit after it was set up in 2007 following criticism of Britain’s performance in tackling bribery abroad.
The Dutchmen got wind of the inquiry and sent a series of letters to the UN pleading their innocence. However, they were both arrested in 2008 in Britain and eventually convicted after their trials stretched over more than four years because of the defendants’ ill-health.The Dutchmen got wind of the inquiry and sent a series of letters to the UN pleading their innocence. However, they were both arrested in 2008 in Britain and eventually convicted after their trials stretched over more than four years because of the defendants’ ill-health.
Bakker, 39, pleaded guilty to his role in the scam in 2012 and Orr was convicted of money laundering in 2014 and given a suspended jail term. Scheffer, who had moved to California and got married, was found guilty on 30 July.Bakker, 39, pleaded guilty to his role in the scam in 2012 and Orr was convicted of money laundering in 2014 and given a suspended jail term. Scheffer, who had moved to California and got married, was found guilty on 30 July.
The Danish drugs company admitted paying kickbacks and was fined after a deal with its country’s public prosecutor.The Danish drugs company admitted paying kickbacks and was fined after a deal with its country’s public prosecutor.
The Dutchmen are due to be sentenced later after attempts to recoup the money from the men’s property deals.The Dutchmen are due to be sentenced later after attempts to recoup the money from the men’s property deals.