Earlier this week in Kyiv, Protests erupted over President Zelensky’s move to strip Ukraine’s national anti-corruption bodies of their independence. According to a report in the BBC, Zelensky proposed a bill that would grant government control of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP). Zelensky’s rationale for taking this course of action was that he was concerned about possible Russian influence on the two organizations. As a result of this announcement, mass protests began in Kyiv due to widespread frustration within Ukrainian society over the rampant corruption that has plagued the country for years. According to another report by the BBC published yesterday, Zelensky realized the error of his ways and resubmitted an amendment to the bill to reinstate their independence. While fears of Russian influence are always a concern in Ukraine, this looks like a rare misstep from Zelensky, who has been widely praised for his actions during the war.
Category: International Corruption
Trump Urges Pardon in Netanyahu Corruption Trial.
Yesterday, in a meeting between President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump urged Israeli prosecutors to drop the case. According to a report in The Guardian, Trump referred to Netanyahu’s case as a “ridiculous witch hunt,” which is hardly surprising considering Trump’s use of the phrase many times before, referring to his criminal cases. Netanyahu is accused of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust while in office. According to a 2024 report by Al Jazeera, Netanyahu is accused of accepting gifts from certain businesspeople in exchange for political access, as well as favorable media coverage, in return for a promise to hinder the growth of a rival newspaper. According to another report in Al Jazeera, the president of Israel, Isaac Herzog, has the power to pardon Netanyahu if he so desires; however, he has stated that this option is not currently on the table. Whether or not Trump’s words have any sway, one leader trying to influence judicial proceedings in another is never a good look.
Kirchner Permitted to Serve Corruption Sentence Under House Arrest.
Yesterday, a federal court in Argentina ruled that Cristina Fernández de Kirchner could serve her 7-year sentence under house arrest. Kirchner has been embroiled in a corruption scandal for years. According to a report in the Guardian, her sentence prohibits her from engaging in any political activities, signaling her decision to withdraw from running in the local Buenos Aires legislative elections this fall. As reported by Reuters, Kirchner will not be allowed to leave her apartment except for medical appointments, and her visitors will be subject to scrutiny by the Argentine courts. It is truly remarkable to see how far this titan of the Peronist movement has fallen.
Former French President Sarkozy Stripped of Legion of Honor Due to Corruption Conviction.
Yesterday, the former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was stripped of the Legion of Honor, France’s highest honor. According to a report in The Guardian, Sarkozy was found guilty of corruption in 2021 for attempting to bribe a judge and peddle influence in return for intelligence about an investigation into his campaign finances in 2007. The only other people to be stripped of the legion of honor are Phillippe Petain, the French Vichy leader who collaborated with the Nazis during WWII, Bashar Al Assad the former Syrian despot, Lance Armstrong, and finally Harvey Weinstein (quite a rogue’s gallery of people). According to a report, Sarkozy allegedly received millions of euros in campaign funds from the Gadhafi regime in Libya in 2007. It is unclear what will happen next, but French prosecutors have asked for a 7-year jail term in the Libya case.
Former Ghanaian Finance Minister Put on Interpol Red Notice List.
Earlier today, the former Ghanaian finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta was placed on Interpol’s red notice list. According to a report in Al Jazeera, Ofori Atta is being investigated over the dubious awarding of contracts involving the electricity and petroleum industries. According to another report in Yahoo Ofori- Atta was allegedly involved in embezzling $58 million to build a national cathedral. According to a report in the BBC, Ofori-Atta is out of Ghana receiving unspecified medical treatment. His whereabouts at present are not known. However, rumors exist that he could be anywhere from the US to the Cayman Islands, a noted hotspot for illicit activity.
Trump Administration in Talks to Lease a Jet From Qatar.
Qatar is in talks with the Trump administration to lease a jet to replace its aging Boeing jets, which are currently operating as Air Force One. According to a report from The Washington Post, government ethics officials are concerned that such a transaction would violate the emoluments clause in the Constitution. Trump is visiting Qatar this week as part of a three-country tour through the Middle East, which also includes Saudi Arabia and the UAE; therefore, this topic is likely to be discussed further. In another interesting twist, Laura Loomer, a far-right internet personality who is seen as Islamophobic, who normally backs Trump on most issues, criticized him by equating the sale of a plane to an Islamic takeover of America. This is an outrageous statement, but Loomer seldom disagrees with Trump on anything.
Serbian Students Pressure Government in Anti-Corruption.
Yesterday, in the Serbian city of Novi Sad, massive anti-corruption protests erupted on May Day. These protests were sparked by the collapse of a newly renovated train station that killed 16 people. According to a report in France 24, many Serbians believed that the tragedy should be blamed on corruption regarding the shoddy construction. Yesterday, the student groups in Novi Sad rallied the five biggest unions in massive protests in the capital, Belgrade. It will be fascinating to see how these protests turn out. Serbia is an autocratic country and could easily institute a crackdown.
Siddiq is Facing an Arrest Warrant in Bangladesh.
Several months ago, I wrote an article about Tulip Siddiq, the former Labour Party anti-corruption minister in the UK, facing corruption allegations in Bangladesh. Last week, the BBC reported that the Bangladeshi government issued an arrest warrant for Siddiq on corruption charges. Siddiq released a statement saying that the arrest warrant was part of a “politically motivated smear campaign” against her. According to a report in Sky News, the arrest warrant was issued over allegations about how Siddiq received a plot of land totaling 7,200 square feet in Bangladesh’s capital, Dhaka. It is unclear whether or not the UK will extradite her, but I could see it becoming a political flashpoint between the two countries.
Javier Milei’s Cryptocurrency Misadventures.
Last week, Javier Milei, the chainsaw-wielding president of Argentina, became embroiled in a cryptocurrency scandal. According to a report in the Guardian, Milei tweeted about a cryptocurrency called $Libra, saying it would boost the notoriously sluggish Argentine economy. According to a report in the AP, the backers of $Libra are a fascinating collection of characters. Hayden Davis, a well-known meme coin developer who founded the Melania Trump meme coin, is the main backer of Libra. As well as Davis, Dave Portnoy, the founder of Barstool, was deeply involved in the promise of an interview with Milei; finally, an unknown crypto backer known as “Meow” also played a prominent role. When Milei touted $Libra, the price went from $0 to $5 and then only a few hours later plummeted back down $0. This appears to be a classic “rug pull” whereby a cryptocurrency is artificially inflated, and the value craters when crypto influencers sell their shares, making the tokens worthless. It is unclear what will happen to Milei, but there are rumors of possible impeachment proceedings in the future.
Anti-Corruption Siddiq Resigns Due to Anti-Corruption Probe.
Last week, the Anti-Corruption minister in Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s government, Tulip Siddiq, resigned. Starmer and Siddiq have been politically close for a while as they are Members of Parliament (MPs) in neighboring constituencies in North London. In a report by the BBC, Siddiq is the niece of Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh in a series of protests led by students last year. Hasina was also alleged to have embezzled £3.9 billion in infrastructure spending from her government. Siddiq’s name came up in a wide-ranging corruption probe linked to several shell companies regarding her use of several properties in north London. As last week wore on, it became clear that her position was untenable; hence, she resigned.
Crispin Corruption Report 