UN takes action against Iraq oil scam suspect

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has ordered disciplinary action against the head of the UN oil-for-food program in Iraq, who was sharply criticised in an investigation that accused him of a “grave conflict of interest” and “undermining the integrity” of the UN.

The investigation report said oil-for-food chief Benon Sevan solicited oil allocations from Saddam Hussein’s regime on behalf of a trading company between 1998 and 2001, and it raised concerns he may have received kickbacks for the help.