Singapore News Channel, Singapore News Network

Buyer Beware Seventeen Pools is a FRAUD Company

If you are considering a shipping container pool from Kurt Wittin Kustom Container Pools of Winnipeg, Canada, you should hear the story of a real customer of Kurt Wittin. Since 2016 we have sent Mr. Witton over $30k, we have had nothing but major issues with his integrity and his products. Pool #1 was declared as structurally unsafe by a local engineer (CLICK HERE for the letter) along with other issues such as it being shipped incomplete (no railing, no cover, no sand filter, and more). After months of chasing Mr. Wittin, he finally offered to replace the pool under warranty with “zero” cost to us. He spent several weeks texting us updates, even sending pictures and video of “our pool” only to find out later everything was a lie (texts/emails of him admitting this can be provided). Eventually the replacement pool arrived 6 weeks later than promised with a whole different set of issues. Just like the structural engineer, that was hired to inspect pool #1, Mr. Witton failed to pay the crane company $4800 to swap the pools, and we were forced to pay to avoid a lien on our home. The new pool had major plumbing issues which he failed to take care of and the liner coating blistered so severely the day after it arrived that it will require a complete sandblasting and replacement. In addition, the replacement pool was missing a set of stairs to get up to the deck, still missing a pool cover (which was paid for originally as an option), missing the railing which is required by law, and missing some upgrades he promised for the issues on pool #1. In all, this replacement that was supposed to cost us nothing has cost nearly $16,000 on top of what we originally paid for the pool. It has required hundreds of hours of extra work on our part.

This is the very brief recap of the last 2 years dealing with Mr. Wittin. He has proven himself time and time again to be morally bankrupt in regards to telling the truth. He willfully lies just to appease you with no intent on following through on his promises. He hired the Omaha engineer to inspect the pool then stopped payment on the check he sent them in 2016. As of today, he still owes them. He fabricated wire confirmation emails to them and me on multiple occasions and later admitted he never sent the money.

Since December 2018, Kurt Wittin has stopped doing business as Kustom Containers and briefly switched to Swiss Coast Pools and then changed to Seventeen Pools (17 Pools). He was evicted from his shop and most of the vendors that he has used have not been paid. As of mid 2019, we have identified over 20 victims that have either paid deposits and never received a pool or had major issues with the pool he supplied. All of our stories have the exact same patterns. I’ve also been contacted by multiple vendors with home he used their services really heavy and then never paid them a dime.

PRESS RELEASED BY APC WOMEN AND YOUTH PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN TEAM (WYPCaT) ON ATIKU ABUBAKAR’S VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES AND THE BURDEN OF CORRUPTION

There has been a challenge for the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar which had been insurmountable for the last 12 years until a few days ago: It was thought to be nigh impossible for him to have accomplished that with the allegations of corruption against his person in the United States which had even led to the incarceration of one of his associates Congressman William Jefferson from Louisiana who Atiku had demanded a bribe of $500,000 from according to the United States FBI, and civil charges settled by a German company Siemens AG. Nigerians, and indeed, the world, were caught agape at how he was able to get through with the stunt considering the bipartisan 328-page report (KEEPING CORRUPTION OUT OF THE UNITED STATES: FOUR CASE HISTORIES) by the United States Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations in conjunction with Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs based on the hearing of February 4th, 2010 which indicted Atiku Abubakar with his fourth wife Jennifer Douglas. The report is still on the website of the United States Senate (www.hsgac.senate.gov) where a search of Atiku’s name (Atiku Abubakar) on the webpage brings up all links with the Atiku case files –what the US Senate has about him.

The US Senate has not had a sitting to review and rescind its stand and resolution on the case of Atiku Abubakar yet, and to exonerate others who had been charged and/or convicted in relation to the Atiku case; refund monies paid as fine to the Government of the US, and to finally take the record off its webpage. This is implicative of the fact that Atiku still has a case of corruption upon his person and character in the US as revealed by the US Senate Report (cited above). The non-apprehension of Atiku in the United States can be attributed to the following reasons:

1. From available information, Senate President Bukola Saraki, who is also the Director General of the Atiku Abubakar Presidential Campaign Organisation engaged the services of an influential lobbyist with the Trump Administration, Brian D. Ballard of Ballard Partners, Inc., on September 21, 2018, to secure entry for Atiku Abubakar into the US. In an article titled ‘What does a $1.1 million lobbying contract buy in Trump’s Washington?’ by Ludd Legum (journalist and former Research Director of Hillary Clinton Presidential Campaign) on his newsletter page: Popular Information, revealed that the lobbyists got paid $1.1 million on a monthly pay $90,000 on quarterly basis which does not include registration and travel expenses. He also revealed in the article that the contract (part of Duties of The Firm reads: ‘It shall be the Firm’s duty to consult with the Client and advocate on its behalf those issues the Client deems necessary and appropriate before the US Federal government. Issues and objectives may include, but not limited to, enhancement of US-Nigeria relations, strengthening and advancing democratic values and the rule of law in Nigeria, with the special focus in the coming months on maintaining political and security conditions free of intimidation and interference in order to ensure the success and fairness of Nigeria’s national election for president in 2019. It shall further be the Firm’s duty to inform the Client of developments in legislation and policy relevant to the Client’s issues and objectives.’) with Mr Ballard required an immediate release of $270,000 and another tranche of $270,000 in late December of 2018, which culminates in $540,000 as yet. It was also alleged that the facilitators got $800,000 for their services in getting the lobbyist. The lobbyist explored some lacunas in International Law and America’s Policy on Non-Intervention (Non-Interference) with political activities of foreign countries. The scheme was very discreet with only a very few privy to the information even among the top echelons of the Atiku Presidential Campaign Team. The United States does not publicly divulge reasons for not granting visas but Legum also revealed in his newsletter that ‘a former government official who has seen the documentation confirmed to Popular Information that Abubakar, until very recently, was banned from obtaining a US visa under Proclamation 7750’. The Presidential Proclamation 7750 was signed by President George Bush on January 12, 2004, suspending entry into the United States, of persons engaged in or benefitting from corruption, particularly for cases linked to the United States.

2. The United States has a policy prohibiting the interference with political activities of other countries. This lacuna aided the lobbyists in putting up an argument which made it seem that United States’ refusal to allow Atiku access into the country at this moment was already providing an advantage to the All Progressives Congress (APC), we should not forget that Goodluck Jonathan alleged in his book and attributed his defeat in the 2015 election to the interference of the US. Thus, any action of the United States that confers an advantage to a political party amounts to interference in the electoral process. This argument by the lobbyist was persuasive enough. Secondly, and more on informed assumption, for the United States being a government which endeavours to protect and promotes democracy around the world and having political affairs desks at their various embassies that analyse and aggregate candidates, political parties, and events where they are located, they could grant Mr Atiku a leeway as a high profile contender in the forth-coming presidential elections in Nigeria. This is because the American authorities are not unaware of the constitutional provisions and other related legislation(s) in Nigeria and the associated problems and/or political crisis which his arrest could create in the Nigerian democratic system since our constitution and electoral law only has the provision for the replacement of a dead candidate as in the case of Abubakar Audu of Kogi State (the law says the person who comes second in the primaries shall be assumed as the flag bearer), and did not envisage a case where the aspirant in a major election could be arrested, and more so, in another country on allegations of corruption. The United States Government shall not be so directly engaged in an act that would jeopardize the democracy in another country, and better still, the democracy in Nigeria; hence he could enjoy a diplomatic waiver (against arrest) because of his status as a candidate of major opposition party. His arrest at this point could be viewed by many at various quarters as being motivated by the Nigerian Government. This is despite the constitutional crisis that the country would be plunged into. Just like In the case of Uhuru Kenyatta, he was indicted by the ICC but could still move around enjoying his diplomatic immunity. The US Government could put all these considerations and look at a bigger picture for the sake of democracy. But if Atiku could not step into the United States for the last 12 years, not even to visit his beloved wife (Jennifer) who is a citizen of the United States, he is now dared to visit the United States after he must have lost the February presidential elections in Nigeria. That is when we shall be slaked of any questions regarding his arrest in the United States.

3. Based on the logic of this argument, Atiku Abubakar was granted conditional waiver for six months to enter the United States. He could not stay in the United States for more than seven days within the waiver period, neither could he communicated with any member of the US Government. He must also agreed to a 24-hour surveillance of himself while in the US.

4. The United States is a signatory to the United Nations Declaration on the Inadmissibility of Intervention and Interference in the Domestic Affairs of States (UNGA Resolution 2131 (XX) of 1965. The resolution remains the basis for the relationship between so many member states including the US. In international law, the principle of non-intervention is not limited to the prohibition of the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity of a state, but also includes interference on the political independence of any state. The principle of non-intervention in the local affairs of States also signifies that a State should not otherwise intervene in a dictatorial way in the internal affairs and electoral process of other States.

5. On the issue of presumption of innocence, the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigerian (as altered), contains in Section 36 (5) that:

‘Every person who is charged with a criminal offence shall be presumed to be innocent until he is proved guilty;

‘Provided that nothing in this section shall invalidate any law by reason only that the law imposes upon any such person the burden of proving particular facts.’

This presumption of innocence by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is not a provision peculiar to the Nigerian state alone. In the United Sates, there is also such provision of the presumption of innocence in their legal system. This means that Atiku Abubakar shall enjoy the “due process of law” and the right to “equal protection under the law” (to all, including aliens) of the United States as enshrined in the 5th and 14th amendments of the United States Constitution, respectively. Thus , Atiku remains an indicted person by the report of the US Senate (cited above);until convicted by court of competent jurisdiction

6. Having served Nigeria as the number 2 citizen of the country for eight years, Atiku Abubakar has the status of a state guest on any visit to any country in the world. Hence, the Nigerian Embassy located anywhere he would be visiting needs to be informed of his visit and adequate provisions made for his welcome. But on this particular visit, the Nigerian Embassy in the United States was not aware of the visit of Atiku Abubakar which increases the bewilderment associated with his visit to the United States. His aides here in Nigeria even denied his going to the United States until they were certain that he had arrived the Dulles International Airport in Washington DC before announcing that he was in the US. They further lodged at the Trump International Hotel Washington DC, to create the impression that the President of the United States, Donald Trump is aware of the visit which is a deceitful tactic employed by PDP upon the intelligence of Nigerians.

7. Rumour has it that (which is yet to be denied but perhaps, by seeing this article a rebuttal may be issued) that the Director General of the Atiku Presidential Campaign Team, who is also the President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Sen. Bukola Saraki, slated Atiku Abubakar for his trip to the United States as an “Aide” or precisely among the retinue of the Senate President which gives him the Diplomatic immunity against arrest. That is the reason the Nigerian Embassy in the United States was not pre-informed of the visit by the former Vice President to the country: thus he was not the guest, he was in the US as part of entourage or an aide to the Senate President under the cover of Diplomatic waiver. This is in utter desperation of the PDP and Atiku himself to make a show that he has gone to the US and was not arrested as presumed by his surrogates. But Nigerians have the right to know the basis upon which the President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria used in enlisting the former Vice President among his retinue to the US as an aide of his. He, Sen. Saraki, had used the powers of his office to get Atiku into the US as part of their scheme. What has the trip to the United States achieved besides photographic images? It is quite a disgrace and self-impugning, that a former Vice President for eight years, and a politician on note stoops so low to become an aide or part of an entourage to a sitting President of the Senate in order to gain entry as well as diplomatic waiver into the United States out of sheer desperation.

8. The meeting conducted in the United States with the US Chamber of Commerce was revealed to be, based on the response received by TheCable (https://www.thecable.ng/just-in-us-chamber-of-commerce-confirms-atikus-business-meeting-in-washington), from the Senior Manager, Media and External Communications of the US Chamber of Commerce, Katharine Cooksey, ‘…private, closed press, and off the record.’ As a Presidential candidate, it is onus upon him to have informed Nigerians that he has been invited for a programme in the United States and the date, venue and time should also be made public ahead of time: a candidate deceiving the electorate even before he becomes president.

9. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo who has suddenly turned into an advocate for Atiku after more than a decade of cautioning Nigerians about what embodiment of evil Atiku is, has also been part of the scheme to see that Atiku gets a leeway from the US Government. Atiku himself had travelled to the United Kingdom to see how the UK government could liaise with US to broker a ground for his visit. After all failed attempts at meeting the goal of his 12-year challenge, they resorted to demeaning the office and prestige of the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and made former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, a mere aide to the Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki, in order to gain the necessary Diplomatic cover which shall grant him access into the US.

10. In an interview with the EFCC Zero Tolerance Magazine [https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0t9t8h9k4Qo], Obasanjo expressed wonder as to the reason the EFCC had not taken Atiku to court. He further remarked:

‘We got a letter from America in June 2006, listing a number of people to be investigated; Atiku was one of them and that letter went straight to the EFCC.

‘It was just shown to me because they will not be able to investigate my number two without my saying “ok”. So, I said if we got this letter from America, so be it.

‘If we have agreement with FBI, Metropolitan Police and they are helping us and we are helping them and they write to us and say these are the people we want you to help us investigate, what do you think we should do? You as EFCC, what will you do coincidence or no coincidence?’

This is a remark from one of the men standing as proponents for the Atiku presidential campaign bid in the 2019 elections.

11. The question remains, Atiku and his team should provide Nigerians with a detailed explanation for his trip to the US and upon which invitation it was based. It is also expedient of him with his team to tell Nigerians why he had to be demeaned to the position of a mere aide in the Senate President’s retinue to gain access into the United States: what he had been unable to accomplish for more than a decade.

The ugly past of Atiku Abubakar is catching up with him as the evil that men do lives after them. His actions are now living after him, after he has lived them. With the 2019 general elections only a few weeks away, it is only a thing of little wonder that Atiku and his ilk get into this scheme: knowing well that it shall not exonerate him from his past sins for which he is yet to answer.

Atiku’s US Trip; What A $1.1million Lobbying Contract Can Buy You In Washington

What does a $1.1 million lobbying contract buy in Trump’s Washington?

By Judd Legum.

Atiku Abubakar, the former vice president of Nigeria, had not visited the United States for twelve years. He is currently running for president and his inability to travel to the United States was being used by his political opponents in Nigeria as proof of his corruption and unsuitability for public office.

A former U.S. government official confirmed to Popular Information that Abubakar was formally barred from obtaining a visa pursuant to a presidential proclamation targeting corrupt foreign officials.

Then everything changed.

With the election less than a month away, Abubakar arrived in the United States last Thursday and promptly checked into the Trump hotel.

What happened? In November, Abubakar hired a key member of Trump’s political operation with a $1.1 million per year lobbying contract.

Abubakar’s visit was almost entirely ignored by the U.S. media. But it’s a story that reveals a lot about how things work in Trump’s Washington.

$40 million in “suspect funds”

The corruption allegations against Abubakar are detailed in a 2010 bipartisan report by the U.S. Senate, “KEEPING FOREIGN CORRUPTION OUT OF THE UNITED STATES: FOUR CASE HISTORIES.” Abubakar denies all allegations of corruption in the report and has never been criminally charged.

The report says that Abubakar, through his wife, Jennifer Douglas Abubakar, funneled $40 million in “suspect funds” to the United States, including millions in “bribe payments.” An alleged bribe which came from a major German corporation, Siemens, looms large.

Siemens has admitted in court to engaging in widespread bribery and bank records link the corrupt activity to Abubakar and his wife.

In December 2008, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission alleged in a formal complaint against Siemens AG, a German company, that, among other actions, in 2001 and 2002, Siemens wire transferred $2.8 million in bribe payments to a U.S. bank account belonging to Ms. Douglas as part of a scheme to bribe Nigerian officials.

In response to this and other legal actions, Siemens admitted to engaging in widespread bribery payments, pled guilty to criminal violations and settled civil violations of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and agreed to pay over $1.6 billion in civil and criminal fines. Ms. Douglas has denied any wrongdoing, but the Subcommittee has obtained financial records showing the transfer of over $1.7 million from Siemens AG to Ms. Douglas’ account at Citibank.

A freezer full of cash

Abubakar was also implicated in the investigation of William Jefferson, the former Congressman who is serving a 13-year sentence for corruption. Abubakar denies any wrongdoing connected to the case and has not been charged.

[b]But the FBI raided Abubakar’s Maryland home during their investigation. An affidavit released by the FBI describes a scheme between Jefferson and Abubakar.

The documents included an affidavit signed by an F.B.I. agent who said that the Nigerian vice president, Atiku Abubakar, now a candidate for president of that oil-rich West African nation, asked for at least half of the profits of a technology company controlled by Mr. Jefferson that was seeking to do business in Nigeria.

About the same time last year, the documents said, Mr. Jefferson told colleagues of his plans to bribe Nigerian officials, including Mr. Abubakar, in exchange for their help in winning business in Nigeria, and that Mr. Abubakar would be paid as much as $500,000 in cash.

According to the FBI, cell phone records and conversations between Jefferson and a confidential informant confirmed the scheme. The FBI did not provide conclusive evidence that any money was paid to Abubakar. But the FBI says the $90,000 in cash found in Jefferson’s freezer was intended for Abubakar.[/b]

Presidential Proclamation 7750

Abubakar spoke openly about his inability to obtain a U.S. visa. “It is the sole prerogative of America to determine who they want in their country or not. I’m not running away from America. I applied, but wasn’t issued a visa,” Abubakar said in an interview in December 2017.

In 2004, President George W. Bush signed Presidential Proclamation 7750 which ban entry into the United States for current and former corrupt foreign officials — especially those whose corruption has a nexus in the United States.

The U.S. government does not publicly disclose why individuals are denied visas. But a former government official who has seen the documentation confirmed to Popular Information that Abubakar, until very recently, was banned from obtaining a U.S. visa under Proclamation 7750.

Enter Brian Ballard

So Abubakar had a problem. His inability to enter the United States was becoming a drag on his campaign to be the next president of Nigeria.

So he hired Brian Ballard.

Ballard is a lobbyist with deep connections to the Trump administration. Ballard, a prolific fundraiser, “chaired the Trump Victory organization” in Florida and “lobbied on behalf of the Trump Organization in the state for more than a decade.”

After Trump was elected, Ballard expanded his practice in DC and signed up a slew of A-list clients eager to tap into his connections. Ballard “also represents governments of Qatar, Turkey, Maldives, the Dominican Republic and Mali and lists US corporate giants Amazon, Sprint and Uber as clients.”

Raj Shah, Trump’s former Principal Deputy Press Secretary left the White House last week to join Ballard’s firm.

On September 21, 2018, Abubakar, through his political party, The People’s Democratic Party, inked a contract with Ballard Partners for $1.1 million per year. Among other things, Ballard was to help Abubakar advance “democratic values and the rule of law in Nigeria.” The contract required an immediate payment of $270,000 with another $270,000 due in late December.

In January, Abubakar was able to travel to the United States.

Despite his connections to the William Jefferson bribery scandal, he was even able to score a meeting with Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) and spoke at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Abubakar also claimed in an interview that he was scheduled to meet with officials at the State Department.

Now Abubakar is back in Nigeria, buoyed by his trip to the United States as his campaign enters its final days. His campaign slogan is Trumpian: “Let’s get Nigeria working again.” He is running on a pledge “to double the size of Nigeria’s economy to $900 billion by 2025” by privatizing the economy.

Chiropractor jailed 8 months for working with insurance agents to cheat Manulife

A chiropractor was taken to court on Tuesday (Jan 22) after he allegedly worked with two insurance agents to cheat Manulife Singapore of more than $14,000 by submitting bogus personal accident claims by 12 people who were covered by the insurer.

Shareholder of Chiropractic Focus Group Charles Loo Boon Ann, 29, is accused of committing the offences with Priscilla Tien Ling, 27, and Mike Chew Jun Yong, 36.

Loo was charged with 17 counts of cheating while Tien faces 12 charges for similar offences. Chew was handed nine cheating charges.

A search on the General Insurance Association Of Singapore’s website reveals that Chew is still a general and life insurance agent, currently linked to Liberty Insurance.

Information on Tien was not found on the portal.

The trio allegedly committed their offences between June 2017 and April last year and Manulife Singapore is said to have been duped into delivering the monies to the 12 insurance policy holders.

They allegedly received between $200 and $1,200 each.

Tien’s cases allegedly involved nine policy holders who received more than $8,000 in all.

Five policy holders linked to Chew are said to have received about $7,000 in total.

It was not mentioned in court on Tuesday if action will be taken against the 12 policy holders.

In a statement on Monday, the police said the trio allegedly cheated the insurance firm through false personal accident claims for treatments received at Loo’s clinics in Tampines and Tanjong Pagar.

A chiropractor entered into a scheme with two Manulife insurance agents, under which he would refer patients with pre-existing conditions to them.

After buying personal accident insurance policies from Priscilla Tien Ling and Mike Chew Jun Yong, these patients would then return to Charles Loo Boon Ann’s practice and claim the treatment costs, even though their policies did not cover pre-existing conditions.

cheat-manulife-fake-claims-jailed-8-months Loo got around this by claiming in his medical reports that his patients had sought treatment for injuries sustained after the inception date of their policies.

Tien and Chew submitted S$17,241 worth of fraudulent claims to their employer.

Manulife ended up paying out about a quarter of that (S$4,450) in total.

The 30-year-old pleaded guilty to six charges of abetment by conspiracy to cheat, with another 11 of such charges taken into consideration for sentencing.

The court heard that when Loo got to know the pair in early 2017, they discussed how to collaborate in their respective chiropractic and insurance businesses. They agreed to their plan over several meet-ups.

The trio cheated 13 of Loo’s patients from April 2017 to April last year.

Loo would advise them to sign up for treatment packages, then get Tien and Chew to sell them insurance policies to claim the costs.

How PDP paid $1.1m to American lobbyist for Atiku Abubakar’s US visit

Atiku Abubakar, the former vice president of Nigeria, had not visited the United States for 12 years. He is currently running for president and his inability to travel to the United States was being used by his political opponents in Nigeria as proof of his corruption and unsuitability for public office.

A former U.S. government official confirmed to Popular Information that Abubakar was formally barred from obtaining a visa pursuant to a presidential proclamation targeting corrupt foreign officials. Then everything changed. With the election less than a month away, Abubakar arrived in the United States last Thursday and promptly checked into the Trump hotel.

What happened? In November, Abubakar hired a key member of Trump’s political operation with a $1.1 million per year lobbying contract. Abubakar’s visit was almost entirely ignored by the U.S. media. But it’s a story that reveals a lot about how things work in Trump’s Washington.

$40 million in “suspect funds”

Siemens has admitted in court to engaging in widespread bribery and bank records link the corrupt activity to Abubakar and his wife.

READ Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mbu, 12 others redeployed

A freezer full of cash

But the FBI raided Abubakar’s Maryland home during their investigation. An affidavit released by the FBI describes a scheme between Jefferson and Abubakar.

READ Boko Haram releases purported photo of three kidnapped Nigerian oil survey team members

Presidential Proclamation 7750

Enter Brian Ballard

So Abubakar had a problem. His inability to enter the United States was becoming a drag on his campaign to be the next president of Nigeria. So, he hired Brian Ballard.

Raj Shah, Trump’s former Principal Deputy Press Secretary, left the White House last week to join Ballard’s firm.

READ Anglican Archbishop warns clerics against “repackaging the gospel”

In January, Abubakar was able to travel to the United States.

Despite his connections to the William Jefferson bribery scandal, he was even able to score a meeting with Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) and spoke at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Abubakar also claimed in an interview that he was scheduled to meet with officials at the State Department.

How Atiku Paid $1.1 Million Through Chidoka For US Visit – Journalist

Judd Legum, an American journalist, has alleged that Osita Chidoka, a former aviation minister, paid one Brian Ballard $1.1 million to secure a United States visa for Atiku Abubakar, who is the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In the report published by Popular Information, Legum said Chidoka, who is an adviser of Uche Secondus, chairman of the PDP, had signed the deal with Ballard, (see document here) who is a lobbyist with deep connections to the Trump administration, on September 21, 2018.

According to him, Ballard, a prolific fundraiser, “chaired the Trump Victory organization” in Florida and “lobbied on behalf of the Trump Organization in the state for more than a decade.”

The publication went further to say that after Trump was elected, Ballard had expanded his practice in DC and signed up A-list clients eager to exploit into his connections.

He reportedly “also represents governments of Qatar, Turkey, Maldives, the Dominican Republic and Mali and lists US corporate giants Amazon, Sprint and Uber as clients.”

Raj Shah, Trump’s former Principal Deputy Press Secretary, is also said to have left the White House last week to join Ballard’s firm.

Among other things, Ballard was to help Abubakar advance “democratic values and the rule of law in Nigeria.” The contract required an immediate payment of $270,000 with another $270,000 due in late December.

The corruption allegations against Atiku, which hindered him from gaining entry into the US, are detailed in a 2010 bipartisan report by the U.S. Senate, “KEEPING FOREIGN CORRUPTION OUT OF THE UNITED STATES: FOUR CASE HISTORIES.”

The report says that Abubakar, through his wife, Jennifer Douglas Abubakar, laundered $40 million in “suspect funds” to the United States, including millions in “bribe payments.” An alleged bribe which came from a major German corporation, Siemens.

Siemens has admitted in court to engaging in widespread bribery and bank records link the corrupt activity to Atiku and his wife.

Atiku was also implicated in the investigation of William Jefferson, the former Congressman who is serving a 13-year sentence for corruption. He denies any wrongdoing connected to the case and has not been charged.

Introducing Jennifer Douglas Atiku, The Con Artist By Churchill Okonkwo

As the saying goes, “if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.” Ordinarily, I would not have bothered about Jennifer Atiku, a con artist who per the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs report helped Atiku Abubakar “bring over $40 million in suspect funds into the United States.”But the fact that she has shown up in the kitchen, campaigning for her husband Atiku Abubakar to lead Nigeria means that she is ready for the heat.
Ndigbo has a saying that not asking questions before eating causes death without illness and that a child who asks questions does not go astray. Those of us that have cared to question the credibility of people aspiring to lead our great nation have asked questions about the Atikus and we have plenty of answers to characterize them as con artists.

So, permit me to introduce to you Jennifer Iwenjiora Douglas Abubakar, the 4thwife of Atiku Abubakar. Originally an indigene of Onitsha, Anambra State and an NTA News correspondent in the 1980s who later moved to and became a citizen of the United States. It was while in the US that the Atikus got involved in illicit financial transactions that are now haunting them.
Per an investigation report by the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs, “From2000 to 2008, Jennifer Douglas, a U.S. citizen and the fourth wife of Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President and former candidate for President of Nigeria, helped her husband bring over $40 million in suspect funds into the United States through wire transfers sent by offshore corporations to U.S. bank accounts.”

The transferred money made Atiku an “employer of labor” and a proud owner of American University of Nigeria (AUN), a school, whose tuition fees more than 99% of Nigerian students cannot afford. Atiku established the AUN at a time when public universities were collapsing under him and Obasanjo. Jennifer Atiku helped her husband establish the American University of Nigeria at a point poor Nigerian students were languishing at home due to strike action by university lectures over poor funding.

When interviewed, “Ms. [Atiku] Douglas indicated that all of the funds [used to set up AUN] came from her husband and professed little familiarity with the offshore corporations actually sending her money.” Mind you, she is a lawyer and a Ph.D. holder for that matter.
While Nigerians are insisting that Atiku is unfit to hold public office for the illicit transfer of millions of Dollars used to acquire the license for American University of Nigeria (AUN), his wifeJennifer Douglas Atiku who helped in the transfer sneaked in Edo State and told us that the “PDP Govt will ensure uninterrupted education calendar.” What an insult on our intelligence.
For attempting to trick Nigerians this election season by persuading us to believe that her husband and the PDP will wave their magic wand and save the education sector, Jennifer Douglas Atiku is a con artist.

Here is another damaging report from the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs, “In a 2008 civil complaint, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission alleged that Ms. Douglas received over $2 million in bribe payments in 2001 and 2002, from Siemens AG, a major German corporation. While Ms. Douglas denies wrongdoing, Siemens has already pled guilty to U.S. criminal charges and settled civil charges related to bribery and told the Subcommittee that it sent the payments to one of her U.S. accounts.”
So, Jennifer Douglas Atiku cannot be trusted when she said that a “PDP government would create an environment for business to thrive with a view to ensuring that the citizens were lifted above poverty.” Jennifer Douglas Atiku is deceiving Nigerians when she said that “there is an urgent need to get every sector of the country working again to enable citizens to enjoy a better life.” But when the United States became too hot for her and Atiku, they sold their house in Maryland, United States and resettled in Dubai.

You see, the truth is that you don’t look for something in the pocket of people that are looking for something. A spider’s cobweb isn’t only its sleeping spring but also its food trap. Nigerians should not allow themselves to be caught in the cobweb of the con artists, Atikus.
As an old joke says if you want to know if a politician is lying, see if their lips are moving. The sweet mouth of the Atikus appears to be the trap they used to deceive Nigerians in the past and what they are attempting to use again today.

The fact that Jennifer Atiku could boldly be campaigning for her husband based on improving education standard in Nigeria as she did over the weekend in Edo state knowing fully well her involvement in that illicit transfer shows that character of Atikus.
What Nigerian would want Jennifer Atiku to know is that no matter how beautiful and well-crafted a coffin might look; it will not make anyone wish for death. We will not die on February 16th, 2019.
Everyone knows history is written by the victors, clearly, the slogan “get Nigeria working again” is a con promoted by a con artist or as my good friend Andy will put it, it is bullshit recounted by the bullshitters.

As the saying goes, you must attend to your business with the vendor in the market, and not to the noise of the market. In the noisy atmosphere leading to the 2019 elections, it is my duty to attend to the important business of providing facts to Nigerians.
Birds sing not because they have answers but because they have songs. While I may not have the answers to the Nigerian problems, I have some songs that will ensure that Nigeria is not returned to Babylon on May 29th, 2019

ATIKU Abubakar, Nigeria’s Most CORRUPT Politician, Facing Sealed Indictments in America

Found Guilty by PTDF to have abused his office by aiding and abetting the diversion of public funds in the sum of $145 million as loans to his friends

* Warns: ‘Let him produce his tax receipts for 2015, 2016 and 2017’

* How can a man who has not paid his Personal Income Taxes now says he wants to get Nigerians working again?

BY SOLA ONADEKO/CRIME REPORTER, LAGOS

FIERY HUMAN RIGHT LAWYER, FESTUS KEYAMO who now doubles as Director, Strategic Communications, President Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organisation has taken a clean swipe at the Presidential flag-bearer of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in 2019 election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar for allegedly been behind ‘fake news spin and money laundering cases’ within and outside the country. He has been described as one of Nigeria’s most corrupt politicians facing sealed indictments in United States of America.

In a Press Statement issued by Keyamo, he explained that a few days ago, the “Presidential Candidate of the PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, called out President Muhammadu Buhari over certain allegations of ‘corrupt practices’ which the President allegedly condones in his government. Whilst we have repeatedly addressed each and every of the instances cited by him to show the transparent nature of the government, it is shocking that the Presidential candidate of the main opposition has refused to issue a personal statement up till this minute clarifying in details his record of crass corruption and abuse of office. He is clearly taking Nigerians for a ride and hopes to distort the ethical revolution in public office that Nigerians clearly desire to his own philosophy of abusing public office to promote private interests. By his subliminal messages, he wants Nigerians to accept that becoming wealthy by abusing public office is not a bad thing after all.”

On how PDP spins fake news: “With the avalanche of fake and unsubstantiated news released in the last few days, it is now clear that PDP’s strategy in the run up to the elections is to spread fake news and make wild allegations without any proof against the President and the Vice President. This is clearly to divert attention from the record of crass corruption and abuse of office of their own candidate. Nigerians cannot and should not be insulted by the PDP after 16 years of looting of the nation, by now putting forward a man whose record of corruption they very much acknowledge, but would rather we all overlook it.”

Regarding the four corrupt practices of Atiku, Keyamo states: “The United States Congress report said Jennifer Douglas Abubakar, a U.S. citizen, is the fourth wife of Atiku Abubakar, the former Vice President of Nigeria and a former candidate for the Presidency of Nigeria…… from 2000 to 2008, Ms. Douglas helped her husband bring over $40 million in suspect funds into the United States, including at least $1.7 million in bribe payments from Siemens AG, a German corporation, and over $38 million from little known offshore corporations, primarily LetsGo Ltd. Inc., Guernsey Trust Company Nigeria Ltd., and Sima Holding Ltd

“Atiku’s co-conspirators, Williams Jefferson and Siemens in the bribery deal were convicted and Jefferson went to jail. By running for President of Nigeria, Atiku intends to get some immunity from prosecution. Already he is hoping to obtain a visa to visit the US, as a guest of the State department, a concession that the US will grant to a Presidential candidate of Africa’s biggest Nation.

“Both the BBC and Voice of America reported that “In a probe ordered by Mr. Obasanjo, (then Nigerian President) the vice-president was accused of diverting $125m from a public development trust fund into his personal businesses.”; Please see 1016 BBC, Profile: Atiku Abubakar, January 25, 2007, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/ 6292141.stm (Voice of America, “Nigerian Vice President Charged with Corruption,” October 10, 2006, http:// www1.voanews.com/english/news/a-).

“A Senate subcommittee investigating the PTDF indicted Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, having found that he abused his office by aiding and abetting the diversion of public funds in the sum of $145 million” as loans to his friends. This report was a subject of a full-blown investigation by the EFCC which actually recommended his prosecution in a court of law. That report is still pending and alive till today.”

When The Thief Is Shouting “Thief”: The Case Of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar

A few days ago, the Presidential Candidate of the PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, called out President Muhammadu Buhari over certain allegations of “corrupt practices” which the President allegedly condones in his government.

Whilst we have repeatedly addressed each and every of the instances cited by him to show the transparent nature of the government, it is shocking that the Presidential candidate of the main opposition has refused to issue a personal statement up till this minute clarifying in details his record of crass corruption and abuse of office.

He is clearly taking Nigerians for a ride and hopes to distort the ethical revolution in public office that Nigerians clearly desire to his own philosophy of abusing public office to promote private interests. By his subliminal messages, he wants Nigerians to accept that becoming wealthy by abusing public office is not a bad thing after all.

With the avalanche of fake and unsubstantiated news released in the last few days, it is now clear that PDP’s strategy in the run up to the elections is to spread fake news and make wild allegations without any proof against the President and the Vice President. This is clearly to divert attention from the record of crass corruption and abuse of office of their own candidate. Nigerians cannot and should not be insulted by the PDP after 16 years of looting of the nation, by now putting forward a man whose record of corruption they very much acknowledge, but would rather we all overlook it.

Some of the indisputable facts regarding Alhaji Atiku Abubakar are as follows:

1. The U.S Congress in a report titled, KEEPING FOREIGN CORRUPTION OUT OF THE UNITED STATES: FOUR CASE HISTORIES, featured Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as one of the four notorious cases of money laundering in the world!

2. The Congress report said “Jennifer Douglas Abubakar, a U.S. citizen, is the fourth wife of Atiku Abubakar, the former Vice President of Nigeria and a former candidate for the Presidency of Nigeria…… from 2000 to 2008, Ms. Douglas helped her husband bring over $40 million in suspect funds into the United States, including at least $1.7 million in bribe payments from Siemens AG, a German corporation, and over $38 million from little known offshore corporations, primarily LetsGo Ltd. Inc., Guernsey Trust Company Nigeria Ltd., and Sima Holding Ltd”.

3. Atiku’s co-conspirators, Williams Jefferson and Siemens in the bribery deal were convicted and Jefferson went to jail. By running for President of Nigeria, Atiku intends to get some immunity from prosecution. Already he is hoping to obtain a visa to visit the US, as a guest of the State department, a concession that the US will grant to a Presidential candidate of Africa’s biggest Nation.

4. Both the BBC and Voice of America reported that “In a probe ordered by Mr. Obasanjo, (then Nigerian President) the vice-president was accused of diverting $125m from a public development trust fund into his personal businesses.”; Please see 1016 BBC, Profile: Atiku Abubakar, January 25, 2007, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6292141.stm (Voice of America, “Nigerian Vice President Charged with Corruption,” October 10, 2006, http:// www1.voanews.com/english/news/a-).

5. A Senate subcommittee investigating the PTDF indicted Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, having found that he abused his office by aiding and abetting the diversion of public funds in the sum of $145 million” as loans to his friends. This report was a subject of a full-blown investigation by the EFCC which actually recommended his prosecution in a court of law. That report is still pending and alive till today.

How do we as a Nation end up with anyone with this sordid record locally and internationally? We have heard the lame defence that the U.S Justice Department said it has no pending case against Atiku Abubakar. That is only a defence for the ignorant ones. In the United States, there are indictments the Justice Department can confirm to the world.

But there is another category of indictments known as SEALED INDICTMENTS that the Justice Department cannot confirm to anyone. These indictments are sealed under the orders of a Judge. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has a sealed indictment waiting for him in the U.S. The day he visits the U.S, not as a candidate in an election, he will face charges.There is no question that the reasons for Atiku’s frequent contests for the Presidency are to steal the resources of Nigeria for self-enrichment and to prevent prosecution for his crimes of laundering and receiving bribes. No amount of fake news or ridiculous false allegations against the President or Vice President that can wash away the well-documented history of theft.

We also challenge the PDP to publish a single line in the sub-committee recommendation of the House of Reps on the NEMA Emergency purchases where the report accused the Vice President of embezzlement of funds. They either do this within 24 hours or keep quiet forever. It is even noteworthy that the House of Representatives have not adopted any such recommendation to make it a report of the House.We also challenge them to show any proof whatsoever of their allegations regarding the TraderMoni.

US Calls Atiku, Wife, Unindicted Co-Conspirators with Jefferson in Corruption Case

For the first time in a court document made available to the public, the US government has identified Nigeria’s former Vice President Abubakar Atiku, his US-based wife, Dr. Jennifer Abubakar and a Nigerian businessman Suleiman Yahyah as co-conspirators in the corruption case against US Congressman William Jefferson, Empowered Newswire reports.

But the American government described them as “unindicted conspirators” in court papers in the case against Jefferson being heard by a US district court in Alexandria, Virginia.

Details emerging from a US government response to a motion by Jefferson seeking the testimony of Atiku and the two others outside the US indicate that the US government is not actually opposed to the idea of having Atiku and the two others giving testimony, except that the US government does not support the testimony being given outside the US.

The court papers-US government response- dated May 21 was signed by Chuck Rosenberg, US Attorney and two US government lawyers in the case, Mark D. Lytle and Rebeca H. Bellows and made available to Empowered Newswire recently.

According to the US government response: “The government would welcome the opportunity to cross-examine these three prospective witnesses-who are as the defense correctly notes, unindicted co-conspirators-under oath before this Court and a jury during the trial of this matter.”

The motion from the defense lawyers earlier motion submitted before the US district court in Virginia, the US Congressman’s attorneys had also noted that the US government “has identified Suleiman Yahyah, Jennifer Douglas Abubakar and Atiku Abubakar as co-conspirators” with regard to the conspiracy charged against the US Congressman Jefferson.” The Defense lawyers noted that the US government made the disclosure to it in a letter Feb. 7, 2008.

But the US government went ahead to object to the defense motion to have Atiku and co’s testimony outside the US where according to the US government US perjury laws would not be applicable.

According to the response of the US government what US Congressman Jefferson is asking for is the US district court in Virginia to take the testimony and deposition “at a location of her choosing somewhere in Europe where she is not subject to criminal penalties for perjury and obstruction of justice.”

The American government lawyers argued that “there is a statutory mechanism by which her-ie Atiku’s wife- testimony can be compelled before this Court,” since she is a US citizen.

Regarding former Vice President Abubakar and Yahyah, the US government noted that what the defense lawyers want is for the Court to force an international treaty “in a manner inconsistent with its own terms-or in the alternative, that the Court seek recourse from an unnamed Nigerian judicial body-so that these two men can be tracked down and then forced to testify, again, without having their testimony be subject to criminal penalties in the United States.”

In a statement that clearly dismissed the Nigerian judiciary the US government lawyers rejected the idea because as they said Nigeria is a country “where, according to a recent State Department report, corruption is massive, widespread, and pervasive at all levels of the government.”

Calling the US Congressman’s plans to take Atiku and co’s deposition in Nigeria a ‘grand misadventure’, the US government noted that even if the testimony were successfully taken, “which is very unlikely, such testimony will be highly suspect and its veracity profoundly dubious.”

As far as the US government is concerned regarding the attempt of Congressman Jefferson to take the testimony of the three Nigerians out of the US, it is an attempt to “further delay this case for an undetermined amount of time as the matter winds its way through the maze of international protocols and various Nigerian courts.

Besides, in the US government response to the defense motion, government lawyers said it does not believe the former vice president and his wife when they denied knowledge of any plot to funnel bribes to them by Rep. William Jefferson.

Said the US government in new information released in the response to the motion, “Based on the evidence gathered to date, the government believes her-Mrs Atiku- denial of knowledge of a bribery scheme involving your client and her husband is a false exculpatory statement.”

According to the government filing, the US Congressman himself had in an audio recording available to the US government described former Vice President Abubakar “as really corrupt and the briefcase business guy.”

In footnotes, the US government noted that it was not Jefferson alone who has such an assessment of the former Vice President. Said the notes the Vice president’s own government “has leveled allegations of corruption against him,” referring to Vanguard of Sept. 9, 2006 with headline EFCC Report-Ministerial Panel Lacks Power to Pronounce Me Guilty-Atiku.

Furthermore the US government noted in its filing that the US Congressman used Abubakar’s wife as “a knowing conduit between himself and Vice President Abubakar.

Conceding that the former VP and the two other Nigerians identified as co-conspirators in the case have denied any wrong doing in public statements, the US government insisted that these were merely unbinding, unsworn statements. Said the US government, it believes denials made by Abubakar and Yahyah are “self-serving, unsworn exculpatory statements to be false.”

Revealing also for the first time some of the information that the US government has passed to the defense team in the case, the US government filing noted that it granted Atiku’s wife “limited use immunity, after which she testified in 2005 before a US federal grand jury.

According to the information contained in the government filing earlier this week in a Virginia court, “During her testimony she confirmed and corroborated contact with your client-ie the Congressman- in June and July of 2005, and she identified a number of materials your clients provided to her.” But the information also included the fact that she denied that the Congressman talked to her about his interest in paying her husband money.

According to the US government, “Mrs Abubakar’s attorney invoked the marital privilege on behalf of Mrs Abubakar to prohibit questions about Mrs. Abubakar’s communications between her and her husband about these topics.