Multinational oil giant, Shell, set up an Intelligence network made up of some of Europe’s top spies which gathered information on some of the top actors involved in the infamous Malabu oil scam during the negotiations leading to payment of $1.1 billion for OPL 245, an investigation by UK-based Finance Uncovered has revealed.
The network made up of former members of UK’s MI6 spy agency, including Guy Colegate and John Copleston, gathered information which they circulated within Shell.
Mr. Copleston, a former British Intelligence attache, was hired as Shell’s “strategic investment adviser.” He and his partner, Mr. Colegate, designated Shell’s business adviser, performed tasks that fell into Shell’s business apparatus.
It was not clear whether Mr. Copleston worked directly with the Shell Intelligence Network Committee, SINC, a tightly knit group of ex-intelligence experts, set up by Ian McCredie, a respected spy, that had direct access to the company’s head office at The Hague.
Finance Uncovered said it tried to reach Mr. McCredie without success and there is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by him.
The investigation also revealed more intrigue surrounding the movement of $800 million out of the original $1.1 billion paid by Shell and Italian giant, Eni to Dan Etete, a former petroleum minister, after the Goodluck Jonathan administration used the Nigerian government as a conduit in the transfer of slush fund.
Within days of receiving the money from Shell and ENI, the Nigerian government instructed that the $1.1bn to be transferred to BSI Lugano, a Swiss bank. The Swiss account is believed to be owned by Dan Etete, a convicted felon, who had jointly set up Malabu oil, a fictitious company with the purpose of coveting OPL 245, considered one of Nigeria’s richest oil block with an estimated 9 billion barrels of crude.
British investigators are asking questions about how such huge transfer was allowed to sail through. UK money laundering law required banks to flag such transfers involving politically exposed persons, as Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs).
Source: Premium Times
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