Corruption in the Comoros Islands: The Passport Scandal.

Disclaimer: I met a gentleman from Comoros in my local coffee shop on Friday who suggested I look into corruption there.)

Twelve years ago, Comoros Islands, a small chain of islands off the Southeastern coast of Africa, started a scheme to allow stateless persons from the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait to buy Comoros citizenship. According to a report in Reuters, there are immediate concerns about where and what the profits of the sold passport were going towards. There were also concerns about how the promised development projects the UAE and Kuwait pledged to would come to fruition. According to a report in November of 2022 by Al Jazeera, the president at the time, Ahmed Abdallah Sambi, was sentenced to life in prison for crimes of “high treason” after it was found that he embezzled $1.8 billion in government profits from the scheme. Sadly, like many other African leaders, Sambi wanted to enrich himself and his immediate circle with the proceeds of a scheme that seemed dodgy straight from the off.

Corruption Scandal Rocks Portuguese Election.

This Sunday, Portugal goes to the polls in a pivotal election. According to a report in The Washington Post, both parties in the governing coalition, the social democratic party and the socialist party, have been rocked by numerous corruption scandals. In particular, 75 thousand euros were found in brown envelopes in a bookcase in the Prime Minister’s office last year. There is a real chance that like in other parts of Europe in recent years, the far-right wing could be elected due to the ongoing corruption scandal. The AP reports that the Chega (Enough) party could play kingmakers in specific election scenarios. This scandal has a comedic element in that Ikea had a billboard showing a bookcase with the tagline “A good place to stash books Or 75,800 Euros.”

Menedez Associate Pleads Guilty on Bribery Charges.

On Friday, a New Jersey businessman, Joe Uribe, pleaded guilty to seven charges, including bribery, wire fraud, and obstruction of justice. According to a report by the Washington Post, Uribe conspired with several other people to gift Menendez’s wife Nadine a Mercedes Benz in return for Menendez attempting to quash several ongoing investigations related to a business partner of Uribe’s. Also, according to a report by the AP, Uribe was hoping that the gift of the car would stop an inquiry regarding a family member of Uribe. Uribe could face up to 95 years in prison unless he testifies against other defendants in the Menendez trial. If Uribe has any sense, he will turn state’s evidence on his associates to lessen his time behind bars.

LaPierre Found Liable in NRA Corruption Case.

On Friday, Wayne LaPierre was liable for misusing funds while he was the head of the National Rifle Association (NRA). According to a report by the New York Times, a jury found that LaPierre had used NRA funds for personal use, such as expensive vacations abroad for himself and relatives and expensive clothes for himself. According to a report by the Hill, Lapierre has to pay $4.3 million in damages to the state of New York. According to a report by NPR, The NRA’s former Chief Financial Officer, Wilson “Woody” Phillips, has to pay $2 Million in damages to the state of New York as well. This further highlights just how far the NRA has fallen, mainly as it used to be a heavyweight in Republican fundraising circles.

Albania Rocked by Corruption Protests.

Earlier this week, protests centered around the alleged corruption of the ruling Socialist Party have shaken the country’s political foundations. The protests also came on the 33^rd anniversary of the toppling of the former dictator Enver Hoxha. According to a report by ABC opposition politicians, civil society is frustrated by the Albanian parliament not investigating allegations of corruption by Prime Minister Edi Rama and his cabinet. The protests also supported former prime minister and current opposition leader Sali Berisha, who is under house arrest facing corruption charges related to helping his son-in-law facilitate a real estate deal. I don’t see this situation resolved peacefully anytime soon, and I fear that a wave of political instability could affect Albania shortly.

Former Thai Leader Thaksin Released On Parole.

Yesterday, former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was released on parole due to failing health. According to a report from the BBC, he was released from a police hospital where he had been serving a one-year prison sentence after being found guilty of corruption and abuse of power charges. Last August, he returned to Thailand after being in self-imposed exile for 15 years after a military coup ousted him. According to a report by Aljazeera, many in Thailand are unhappy that Thaksin’s sentence was reduced from eight years to one year and feel that Thaksin and the current Thai government brokered a sweetheart deal to shorten Thaksin’s sentence. No one is sure what will happen next, but knowing Thaksin, despite ill health, he will want to play a role in Thai politics.

Navalny pronounced dead by Putin’s Regime.

(A disclaimer for this article: I was at an event this morning held by the U.S Institute of Peace (USIP), an international relations think tank here in Washington DC, discussing the future of Russia post Putin).

The Russian prison authorities announced this morning that Alexi Navalny, the prominent critic of President Putin, was found dead in his cell. It has been reported that as of yesterday, Navalny was displaying his usual sense of humor, which is remarkable considering his situation. It has been well-known that Navalny was gravely ill and was being denied proper healthcare by the Russian government. According to a report by the Washington Post, fears for Navalny grew after he was arrested in January 2021 upon returning to Russia after recovering in Germany from an attempt on his life by the use of Novichok, a banned nerve agent. The response to Navalny’s death has been swift, according to a report by the New York Times. Navalny’s wife strode into the conference room where the Munich Security Conference (a well-known gathering of world leaders discussing international security issues) was held. She denounced Putin’s regime, openly reporting those in the audience spellbound. All of this raises the question: why does this matter?

The answer is that it matters a great deal. According to an article in the Post, Navalny was the main figurehead for anti-Putin opposition in Russia and worldwide, leading many protests within the country. However, more importantly, Navalny had a pioneering YouTube channel and organization that focused on the rampant corruption within Putin’s Russia. It is unclear what will happen next; at the event I attended today, several of the panelists stated that it is a fool’s errand to predict what might happen post-Putin and that it is likely that either Putin will have to die or that Ukraine will have to win the war decisively for Putin to be deposed. One can only hope that Navalny’s death, while tragic, can spur a new generation of Russian civil society to take on Putin and that the West will continue to fund Ukraine’s war effort.

Ex- Illinois Senator Arrested After Breaching Pre-trial Conditions.

This past Friday, the former Illinois republican state senator William “Sam” McCann was taken into custody after allegedly breaching his bail conditions before facing trial on corruption charges. According to a report by the local CBS affiliate in Chicago, McCann’s trial was supposed to start last week but was postponed when he failed to contact his probation officer and was admitted to a hospital in St Louis for an unspecified health issue. McCann is accused of taking money intended for his third-party gubernatorial campaign. McCann apparently spent $60,000 on an F-250 truck and a Ford Expedition SUV. It never ceases to amaze me what corrupt schemes politicians come up with; compared to the LA Councilman last week, this is small potatoes, but political powers in its many forms causes people to commit irrational actions.

70 Arrested in New York Housing Scandal.

Yesterday, an indictment in New York City was unsealed, alleging a massive kick-back scandal involving 70 New York City Housing Authority employees. According to a report in the New York Times, it is the largest number of bribery charges the Department of Justice has ever handed out, as seventy people were arrested. According to a report by the local NBC affiliate in New York, $2 million in bribes were demanded from $ 13 million worth of contracts. Most of the kickbacks were demanded before the work on houses or apartments were started as a way to grease the wheels. It appears that the house of cards at the Housing Authority finally came tumbling down.

Former LA Councilman Sentenced to 13 Years in Prison After Bribery Scandal.

Last week, a former Los Angeles councilman, Jose Huizar, was sentenced to 13 years after being found guilty of bribery and tax evasion charges. According to a report in the AP, Huizar was the chair of the Los Angeles Planning and Land Use Management Committee, allowing him to approve high-rise buildings and other large-scale developments. While in office, Huizar accepted $1.5 million in bribes, which included tickets to sporting events, casino chips, and political contributions. According to a report in The Hill, David Lee, the real estate developer involved with Huizar, will also serve time for his part in the plot. It is also curious to note that Huizar, at the time of his arrest, was trying to get his wife Richelle to take over his seat when his term ended in 2020. It is crystal clear that Huizar liked those two cornerstones of political life: power and money.