Brooklyn federal court saw Gabonese national and former Prime Minister’s son, Samuel Mebiame, plead guilty to conspiring in a foreign bribery scheme that violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). Working as a consultant for Och-Ziff Capital Management Group LLC, Mebiame paid bribes to obtain mining sector opportunities in Chad, Niger, and Guinea. He faces up to five years’ imprisonment.
The guilty plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Robert L. Capers, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General David Bitkower, FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeney, Jr., and IRS-CI Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Ronald L. Whitsett. Mebiame served as a ‘fixer’ for the joint venture, paying more than $3 million in bribes to Niger officials, obtaining uranium concessions.
Between 2007 and 2012, Mebiame’s corrupt payments were directed to high-ranking government officials in Chad and Guinea. In return for his actions, he received licenses for mining concessions and other benefits. He also traveled to the U.S., receiving payments into U.S. bank accounts and sending emails from the United States.
On September 29, 2016, Och-Ziff was charged with FCPA violations for conduct in Libya, Congo, Chad, and Niger. Och-Ziff entered a deferred prosecution agreement, and its subsidiary company, OZ Africa Management GP, LLC, pleaded guilty to large-scale bribe payments in Congo.
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office Business and Securities Fraud Section and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Unit of the Department of Justice, Fraud Section.
Related Federal Cases
- RCI Execs Hit With Bribery and Tax Fraud Charges · New York
- Sununu Declares War on Trump’s GOP Grip · New Hampshire
- Wall Street Bailout: NY & CA Lose $2 Trillion · North Carolina
- “K Money” Crumbles: Wall St. Pretender Admits $2M Scam · New York
- PPE Lie: Edison Execs Plead Guilty to $10M Scam · Ohio
Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Public Corruption|White Collar Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
