The U.K.’s the Guardian Exposes Azerbaijani Scheme That Paid Politicians and Journalists
BAKU, Azerbaijan—An in-depth investigation by the U.K.’s the Guardian newspaper has revealed that Azerbaijan’s ruling elite operated a secret $2.9 billion scheme to pay European decision-makers, purchase luxury goods, and launder funds through a network of British companies.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Azerbaijani First Lady and First Prime Minister Mehriban Aliyeva (Photo: panamapapers.icij.org)
Azerbaijan’s leadership made more than 16,000 covert payments between 2012 and 2014, according to information presented by the Guardian. Some of the money was given to lawmakers, politicians, and journalists as part of an international lobbying mission to deflect criticism of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and to portray Azerbaijan in a positive light.
The Guardian report notes that there is no suggestion that the recipients were necessarily aware of the original source of the money, as it arrived via a circuitous route.
Read the Guardian’s full report here: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/sep/04/uk-at-centre-of-secret-3bn-azerbaijani-money-laundering-and-lobbying-scheme.
“The Azerbaijani Laundromat” (Source: Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project/The Guardian)
The Armenian Weekly will be closely following developments on this story and will provide updates in the coming days.
Source: Armenian Weekly
Link: The Azerbaijani Laundromat: Billion Azerbaijani Money Laundering and Lobbying Scheme Exposed