Former UN chief on bribery charges

A former president of the UN General Assembly has been arrested and charged with accepting over $1m in bribes from a billionaire Chinese property mogul and other businesspeople to pave the way for lucrative investments.

The UN ambassador from Antigua and Barbuda, John Ashe, who served in the post for one year from September 2013, faces conspiracy-related and bribery-related charges.

Those charged in a criminal complaint unsealed in Manhattan federal court included Chinese billionaire Ng Lap Seng, who was arrested two weeks ago along with his chief assistant, Jeff C Yin, a US citizen whose bail was revoked last week after investigators said he lied to them after his arrest.