Last week, Nicolas Sarkozy was sentenced to five years in prison for corruption. Two years ago, Sarkozy was found guilty of accepting millions of euros from the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi. According to a report in the BBC, Sarkozy will spend time in prison even if he launches an appeal. He will also have to pay a fine of €100,000. According to a report in The London Times, Sarkozy will reject any pardon from the French government because that would suggest that Sarkozy would have to admit guilt in accepting money from the Libyan government. No matter what happens in the future, the fact that a former French president will spend time behind bars is astonishing.
Category: Political corruption
Albanian Government Turns to AI to Fight Corruption.
Several weeks ago, the Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama announced a new minister to fight corruption; her name is Diella (Albanian for “sun”). Typically, this would be an oversized news item; however, in the case of Diella, she isn’t a human being, she is an AI chatbot. According to a report in The Washington Post, while this hire is seen as a PR stunt mainly because, according to the Albanian constitution, members of the cabinet must be human, there is hope that Diella can streamline and clean up the corruption-prone government procurement system. According to Transparency International, Albania has a serious problem with corruption, as indicated by its Corruption Perceptions Index, which rates countries on a scale from 0 to 100 (0 being the lowest and 100 being the highest). Albania is rated 42, indicating that it has considerable work to do to improve its performance. While it is admirable to see a country like Albania attempt to tackle its corruption problem, I have my doubts about whether an AI chatbot will have a lasting positive impact.
Protests Erupt in the Philippines Over Flood Defense Corruption.
In recent days, several protests have erupted over allegations of corruption in the Philippine Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). According to a report by France 24, 30 members of the Filipino parliament and the DPWH have been alleged to have taken bribes from construction firms. Starting in 2023 and continuing to the present day, the Philippine Department of Finance has estimated that the Philippine economy has lost approximately 118.5 billion Philippine pesos (equivalent to about $2 billion) due to bribery surrounding flood defense projects. Filipino President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr has backed the anti-corruption protests and stated that none of his allies would escape justice if they were found to have committed crimes. However, despite this pledge, I have my doubts because the Marcos name is known worldwide as a byword for extreme corruption.
19 People Killed in Nepal Over Corruption and Social Media Protests.
Today, 19 people were killed in Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu, during protests triggered by a ban on social media and frustration over corruption. According to a report in the New York Times, these protests are the most sustained in recent memory, with both opposition politicians as well as some members of the ruling communist party calling for the prime minister KP Sharma Oli to step down. The primary catalyst for the protests was a ban on all social media platforms that include, but are not limited to, Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. The government’s rationale for taking these actions is that social media is not conducive to “social harmony”. According to a report in Reuters, the protestors are also frustrated at what they see as a lack of action on tackling endemic corruption in Nepalese society. While it is admirable to see a government having concerns about the dangers that social media can pose, instituting an all-out ban clearly has not been the best course of action.
Protests Erupt Over Zelensky’s Corruption Moves.
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.
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.
Crispin Corruption Report 