US-Iraqi admits oil for food charges

An Iraqi-American has pleaded guilty to four charges connected to the UN oil for food scandal, it was confirmed tonight.

Samir Vincent, the first to be convicted in the investigation of fraud and abuse, admitted to tax violations and acting as a non-registered agent of a foreign government.

The charges carry a maximum sentence of 28 years in prison.

US Attorney General John Ashcroft said as part of a plea deal, Vincent was cooperating with the Department of Justice.

“Between 1996 and 2003 Vincent has admitted to receiving (oil) allocations for more than nine million barrels of oil, the rights to which he sold for millions of dollars,” Mr Ashcroft said.

“Vincent has admitted his ties to the Hussein regime extended beyond the period when the oil for food programme was in operation.”

American officials have launched multiple investigations into allegations into corruption in the programme, which allowed Iraq to export a limited supply of its crude oil and earmark the revenues for purchases of food, medicine and supplies.

The €49m programme was designed to ease the humanitarian impact of economic sanctions imposed on Iraq after its 1990 invasion of Iraq.