Alexander Yakovlev (UN procurement)
Encyclopedia
Alexander Yakovlev was a long-serving tenured member of the United Nations
procurement
department (since 1985). He was involved in the oil-for-food scandal and had other allegations of impropriety.
He is accused by the investigators of taking nearly $1 million in bribes, which also includes alleged illicit dealings with Compass Group
PLC's subsidiary Eurest Support Services
(ESS) and its terminated CEO Peter R. Harris
and senior executive Andy Seiwert.
Yakovlev is alleged to have conducted himself improperly in 1996 when he indirectly tried to get bribes from Societe Generale de Surveillance S.A..
Yakovlev resigned June 23, 2005. On August 8, 2005 United Nations Secretary-General
Kofi Annan
waived the diplomatic immunity
of Alexander Yakovlev on a request from the U.S. Attorney's Office, and Yakovlev apparently had been taken into custody, said Mark Malloch Brown
, Annan's chief of staff.
The same day he pleaded guilty to wire fraud under the oil-for-food program, making him the first U.N. official to face criminal charges in connection with the scandal-tainted operation. He was released under bond of $400,000.
Alexander Yakovlev also pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of wire fraud
and money laundering
for accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes from U.N. contractors in his work outside oil-for-food. He could face up to 20 years in prison for each of the three counts.
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
procurement
Procurement
Procurement is the acquisition of goods or services. It is favourable that the goods/services are appropriate and that they are procured at the best possible cost to meet the needs of the purchaser in terms of quality and quantity, time, and location...
department (since 1985). He was involved in the oil-for-food scandal and had other allegations of impropriety.
He is accused by the investigators of taking nearly $1 million in bribes, which also includes alleged illicit dealings with Compass Group
Compass Group
Compass Group plc is a global contract foodservice and support services company headquartered near London, United Kingdom. It is the largest contract foodservice company in the world and has operations in over 50 countries...
PLC's subsidiary Eurest Support Services
Eurest Support Services
Eurest Support Services is a subsidiary of the catering company, Compass Group PLC specializing in harsh-environment large-scale food service and facilities management...
(ESS) and its terminated CEO Peter R. Harris
Peter R. Harris
Peter R. Harris was formerly the CEO of the UK and Ireland, Middle East and Africa division of Compass Group before being dismissed in October 2005 for "improper conduct" in relation to practices with the United Nations procurement department...
and senior executive Andy Seiwert.
Yakovlev is alleged to have conducted himself improperly in 1996 when he indirectly tried to get bribes from Societe Generale de Surveillance S.A..
Yakovlev resigned June 23, 2005. On August 8, 2005 United Nations Secretary-General
Secretary-General
-International intergovernmental organizations:-International nongovernmental organizations:-Sports governing bodies:...
Kofi Annan
Kofi Annan
Kofi Atta Annan is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the UN from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2006...
waived the diplomatic immunity
Diplomatic immunity
Diplomatic immunity is a form of legal immunity and a policy held between governments that ensures that diplomats are given safe passage and are considered not susceptible to lawsuit or prosecution under the host country's laws...
of Alexander Yakovlev on a request from the U.S. Attorney's Office, and Yakovlev apparently had been taken into custody, said Mark Malloch Brown
Mark Malloch Brown
George Mark Malloch Brown, Baron Malloch-Brown, KCMG, PC is a former Minister of State in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the British government with responsibility for Africa, Asia and the United Nations...
, Annan's chief of staff.
The same day he pleaded guilty to wire fraud under the oil-for-food program, making him the first U.N. official to face criminal charges in connection with the scandal-tainted operation. He was released under bond of $400,000.
Alexander Yakovlev also pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of wire fraud
Wire fraud
Mail and wire fraud is a federal crime in the United States. Together, 18 U.S.C. §§ 1341, 1343, and 1346 reach any fraudulent scheme or artifice to intentionally deprive another of property or honest services with a nexus to mail or wire communication....
and money laundering
Money laundering
Money laundering is the process of disguising illegal sources of money so that it looks like it came from legal sources. The methods by which money may be laundered are varied and can range in sophistication. Many regulatory and governmental authorities quote estimates each year for the amount...
for accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes from U.N. contractors in his work outside oil-for-food. He could face up to 20 years in prison for each of the three counts.