Manuel Chang, the former Finance Minister of Mozambique, was convicted by a federal jury of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with his role in a $2 billion fraud, bribery, and money laundering scheme that victimized investors in the United States and elsewhere. The verdict followed a 4-week trial before United States District Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis. When sentenced, Chang faces up to 20 years in prison. Chang was arrested in December 2018 in South Africa, pursuant to a provisional arrest warrant issued at the request of the United States, and extradited to the Eastern District of New York in July 2023.
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Nicole M. Argentieri, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General and head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Christie M. Curtis, Acting Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the verdict.
“This verdict is an inspiring victory for justice and the people of Mozambique who were betrayed by the defendant, a corrupt, high-ranking government official whose greed and self-interest sold out one of the poorest countries in the world,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Chang now stands convicted of pocketing millions in bribes to approve projects that ultimately failed, laundering the money, and leaving investors and Mozambique stuck with the bill.”
“While serving as Finance Minister of Mozambique, Manuel Chang obtained $7 million in bribe payments in exchange for signing guarantees to secure more than $2 billion in loans,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Not only did Chang’s abuse of authority betray the trust of the Mozambican people, but his corrupt bargain also caused investors—including U.S. investors—to suffer substantial losses on those loans. Chang’s conviction today demonstrates that the Criminal Division is committed to combatting foreign corruption in violation of U.S. law, no matter where these schemes occur or whom they involve.”
As proven at trial, Chang received $7 million in bribes in exchange for signing guarantees on behalf of the Republic of Mozambique to secure funding for loans for three maritime projects. As part of the scheme, Chang and his co-conspirators falsely stated to banks and investors that the loan proceeds would be used for the projects and that the borrower would not pay bribes to Mozambican government officials. In fact, however, Chang and his co-conspirators facilitated the criminal diversion of more than $200 million of the loan proceeds that were used to pay bribes and kickbacks to Chang and others.
Between approximately 2013 and 2015, in his capacity as Mozambique’s Minister of Finance, Chang, together with his co-conspirators – including executives of Privinvest Group, a United Arab Emirates-based shipbuilding company – ensured that Credit Suisse AG, (through its subsidiary in the United Kingdom, Credit Suisse Securities (Europe) Limited (CSSEL), and another foreign investment bank would arrange for more than $2 billion to be extended to companies owned and controlled by the Mozambican government: Proindicus S.A. (Proindicus), Empresa Moçambicana de Atum, S.A. (EMATUM), and Mozambique Asset Management (MAM). The proceeds of the loans were intended to fund three maritime projects for which Privinvest was to provide the equipment and services. Specifically, Proindicus was to perform coastal surveillance, EMATUM was to engage in tuna fishing, and MAM was to build and maintain shipyards.
Instead, Chang and his co-conspirators illegally facilitated Privinvest’s diversion of more than $200 million of the loan proceeds to bribes and kickbacks. These funds included more than $150 million that Privinvest used to bribe Chang and other Mozambican government officials to ensure that companies owned and controlled by the Mozambican government would enter into the loan arrangements, and that the Mozambique government would guarantee those loans. The loans were subsequently sold in whole or in part to investors worldwide, including in the United States. In doing so, the participants in the scheme conspired to defraud these investors by misrepresenting how the loan proceeds would be used. Ultimately, Proindicus, EMATUM, and MAM each defaulted on their loans and proceeded to miss more than $700 million in loan payments, causing substantial losses to investors.
In October 2021, Credit Suisse AG and CSSEL admitted to defrauding U.S. and international investors in the financing of an $850 million loan for the EMATUM project. CSSEL pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and Credit Suisse AG entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section (Fraud Section) and the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS). As a part of the resolution, Credit Suisse AG and CSSEL paid approximately $475 million in penalties, fines, and disgorgement as part of coordinated resolutions with criminal and civil authorities in the United States and the United Kingdom.
No comments:
Post a Comment