The Times of London reports this morning that the quick guilty plea by Alexander Yakovlev has unnerved United Nations officers and personnel, who fear that Yakovlev has cut a deal with the US that will result in more prosecution. Even his lawyer dropped a strong hint that Yakovlev had bargained for soft treatment:

Alexander Yakovlev admitted three charges carrying 20 years each in New York on Monday, as a UN inquiry reported that he had taken almost a million dollars in bribes from companies that won more than $79 million (£44 million) in UN business.

That he surrendered to the authorities in New York and immediately entered guilty pleas suggests that he may have struck a plea bargain to co-operate with prosecutors in return for a lighter sentence.

His lawyer, Arkady Bukh, told The Times that he could not comment because of a confidentiality agreement. “Normally, if you enter a guilty plea in an expedient manner, we expect from a judge quite a lenient sentence,” he said.

UN officials said that they believed Mr Yakovlev would become a co-operating government witness. “It’s obvious. He struck a deal. He’s going to testify,” one UN official said.

As I suggested when he pled out within minutes of his arrest, this seemed so obvious that it almost appeared to have the intent of frightening the rest of Yakovlev's associates at Turtle Bay. Federal prosecutors in New York vowed to chase UN corruption down to the last conspirator and corrupt official, and without a doubt Yakovlev had enough contacts to know where most of the evidence can be found. The moderate delay in sentencing -- five months while Yakovlev remains free on $400,000 bail -- gives prosecutors enough time to determine whether he makes good on his deal.

No one can possibly believe that Yakovlev will go down alone for the racketeering at Turtle Bay. If he intended on doing so, he would never have pled guilty so quickly. His lawyer confirmed it, but that just serves to remove the last vestiges of hope for any UN official connected to Yakovlev that has something dirty to hide.

Expect to see a number of UN officials suddenly either returning home or resigning to cooperate with US officials on this investigation. Either way, Yakovlev's guilty plea has finally started the long-overdue process of cleaning out the Augean stables that the UN has become.

Trackback Pings

TrackBack URL for this entry is

Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Yakovlev Plea Stuns UN:

» Captain's Quarters from hubs and spokes
Accountability at last? No one can possibly believe that Yakovlev will go down alone for the racketeering at Turtle Bay. If he intended on doing so, he would never have pled guilty so quickly. His lawyer confirmed it, but... [Read More]

Tracked on August 10, 2005 8:08 AM

» Nervous at the UN from RightPundit
Monday the Volcker Commission issued its third report, fingering Bevon Saven, chief of the United Nation's Oil for Food Program, as having taken kickbacks as part of the Oil for Food Program. It also identified Alexander Yakolev, a procurement office... [Read More]

Tracked on August 10, 2005 10:10 AM