Chinese Billionaire Ng Lap Seng Arrested in U.N. Bribery Case

Chinese billionaire Ng Lap Seng, who was a top donor to the Clinton-Gore campaign in the past, was charged on Tuesday for engaging in a corruption scheme that includes top UN officials. Seng was arrested last month by New York customs officials for funneling around $4.5 million into the US by giving false information.

The complaint alleges that Seng made payments to top UN officials using their position to gainlucrative business deals. One UN official that was bribed includes the former President of the General Assembly, Mr. John Ashe.

Seng is alleged to have paid around $500,000 to Ashe in bribes in exchange for using his position to obtain lucrative deals in Antigua. Moreover, Seng was also accused of bribing officials to earn a contract to build a multibillion-dollar UN conference center that includes a business incubation center in the city of Macau, China. The complaint cites that Seng had bribed Ashe to submit a document to the UN secretary General supporting the need to build the conference center in Macau.

The criminal complaint alleges that another UN official Francis Lorenzo who has served as the deputy permanent representative to the UN for the Dominican Republic also relayed money for an extravagant vacation for Ashe’s family in New Orleans.

Ashe is claimed to have received more than $1 million in bribe money that he deposited into the bank accounts of the OPGA (Office of the President of the General Assembly) and used the funds to pay for his extravagant expenses. He is also alleged to have received $109,000 for lease of BMW X5 and a membership for a vacation club in South Carolina.

In addition, Ashe received a large sum of money for the mortgage payment of the suburban Westchester home where he was arrested this week. Although he had waived diplomatic immunity when he applied for a U.S. permanent residence status, as a top UN official, Ashe cannot not be prosecuted in the US for his official actions.

However, as the feds were pleased to know, this does not include evading taxes. And here a principle can be applied that was quoted by the assistant special agent who heads the New York field office of IRS-Criminal Investigation: “Any income is taxable, including illegal income.” Ashe is now charged with tax fraud and a bail was set for $1 million.

Meanwhile, Seng who had frequently visited the White House in the past to donate to Clinton’s campaigns for the presidency he now seems destined to a more confined house in prison. Should Seng be convicted of the bribery he will end up in the prison along with top UN officials including former NY state Assembly speaker Sheldon Silver who was arrested in a public corruption case that had led to the UN briary scandal.

“If proven, today’s charges will confirm that the cancer of corruption that plagues too many local and state governments infects the United Nations as well,” said Preet Bharara, the NY U.S. Attorney.

Seng could face up to 10 years in prison for bribing the UN officials. However, Seng is also aware of the real possibility of former secretary of state Hillary Clinton becoming President in next year’s election, and may pursue a pardon for his crimes.