After a three-year campaign, the
Department of Justice is getting tens of millions in assets from the son of an African dictator accused of corruption, but not one of his most sought-after prizes: one of Michael Jackson’s crystal-encrusted “Bad Tour” gloves.
According to a settlement agreement announced Friday, the Justice Department has required Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, son of Equatorial Guinea dictator Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mbasogo and the country’s Second Vice President, to relinquish a Malibu, Calif. mansion, a Ferrari, and several life-size statues of the late pop star, in total valued at $30 million. However, the dictator’s son may keep Jackson’s crystal glove, a jacket used during the “Thriller” tour, and a Gulfstream jet, as they remain outside the United States.
According to a Justice official, should the memorabilia reenter the U.S., it will be subject to seizure by the government. Also, Nguema Obiang must still compensate for the value of the items by paying $1 million
to the U.S. government, to be used “for the benefit of the Equatorial Guinean people.”
The DOJ originally took action against Nguema Obiang in 2011 as part of
its Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative, announced by Attorney General Eric Holder in 2010. The initiative is “aimed at combating large-scale foreign official corruption and recovering public funds for their intended – and proper – use: for the people of our nations.” http://abcnews.go.com/International/smooth-settlement-son-african-dictator-surrender-30m-assets/story?id=26163323
"OUR" nations?
kleptocracy asset recovery initiative?
Theres a problem here.