Corruption convicted ex-President CAP in Paris corruption trial details

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Wednesday, May 14, 2003 By: David Coleman

Corruption convicted Venezuelan ex-President Carlos Andres Perez has surfaced in details surrounding the Paris (France) trial of top former executives and shady political associates of France's Elf Aquitaine oil company.

Massive under-the-table dealings with the Venezuelan government of 10 years ago have involved witness accounts of espionage, Swiss bank accounts; brown envelopes filled cash for politicians, luxury Paris apartments and mansions in Corsica, bribes and treachery.

The trial's latest sensational revelation is an accusation by a top aide that former Elf executive Loik Le Floch-Prigent had pocketing around $2.5 million from Venezuelan business dealings.

Alfred Sirven, one-time right hand man to Le Floch-Prigent detailed the Venezuela side of a deal where he admitted that another $2.5 million found its way to his own Swiss account.

The trial, seen as France's largest corruption case in recent history, began in March and is expected to continue runs through early July taking two investigative magistrates eight years of pre-trial work to detail charges in a 657-page report.

A previous trial, nicknamed Elf 1 had held the French nation enthralled in 2001 when it was revealed that former French Foreign Minister Roland Dumas and his ex-mistress, Christine Deviers-Joncour had also been involved up to their necks in shady dealings.

 They were all given prison sentences and hefty fines, though an appeals court later acquitted Dumas. Deviers-Joncour ... a former lingerie model ... later published several books including "The Whore of the Republic,"  detailing her dealings with Elf and top government executives.

In the Elf 2 trial, a total of 37 people have been charged with receiving corrupt payoffs and illicit funding involving tens of millions of dollars and highlights testimony by former French secret service agent Pierre Lethier who had been on the run from charges in connection with bribes allegedly paid to acquire a German oil refinery in 1992 ... Lethier turned himself in last month, after hiding for years in Switzerland and Britain.

Former Elf energy director Andre Tarallo ... nicknamed "Mr. Africa" because he directed many of the company's extensive dealings there, including alleged payoffs to African leaders ... had bought a mansion in Corsica with $11 million, allegedly lifted from Elf profits.

The trial is expected to uncover a tight relationship between Elf executives and top politicians who allegedly picked up cashed-stuffed envelopes as "campaign contributions."

Sirven admits paying off former French Prime Minister Edith Cresson and two former German ministers for the acquisition of the Leuna refinery more than 10 years ago.

Le Floch-Prigent has already admitted being "swept away by the folly of grandeur." Aluxurious, $9.3 million apartment in Paris' elegant 16th arrondissement was allegedly bought with funds from Elf. Asked to explain some $100,000 spent to equip Le Floch-Prigent's kitchen, his former wife Fatima Belaid said simply "my ex-husband loved cooking."