Omar Bongo / Lobbyist Case

In the aftermath of the February 4, 2010 U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations hearing and investigation report on Mr. Bongo, Malta press reported that Maltese authorities were investigating alleged transfer of funds by Mr. Bongo's Washington lobbyist Jeffrey Birrell to that country. (Source: Malta Today, "Late Gabon President Omar Bongo had [EUR] 7 million Malta bank account," May 2, 2010.)

The U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations Press Release stated that in 2006, $18 million in funds from Gabon were wired to the U.S. corporate bank accounts of a U.S. lobbyist who then distributed the funds within the United States and across the globe as directed by President Bongo in connection with two projects to support his regime, buying U.S.-made armored cars and C-130 military cargo planes. Among the funds the lobbyist distributed was $9.2 million which he wire transferred to an account for President Omar Bongo - not in Gabon - but in the country of Malta. (Source: United States Senate, Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Majority and Minority Staff Report, "Keeping Foreign Corruption Out of the United States: Four Case Histories," released in conjunction with the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations February 4, 2010 Hearing.)