US investigates National Geographic over ‘corrupt payments’ to Egypt's keeper of antiquities
Independent.co.uk
David Usborne
Monday 28 October 2013 20:04
Zahi Hawass, Egypt’s former minister of antiquities
(AFP/Getty)
National
Geographic may be facing an unexpected challenge to its reputation as
one of the world’s most respected educational and scientific institutions amid
reports that it is under investigation in the United States over its ties to a
former Egyptian official who for years held the keys to his country’s many
popular antiquities.
At issue is whether the Washington-based organisation,
which in recent years has rapidly extended its public reach beyond its
well-known glossy magazine to a cable television channel and other enterprises,
violated strict US laws on payments to officials of foreign governments in
contracts starting in 2001 with Dr Zahi Hawass, who, until the overthrow of
President Hosni Mubarak, was the government’s sole gatekeeper to all things
ancient Egypt.
For a decade, Dr Hawass seemingly played a critical role
in giving National Geographic constant access to the antiquities, including the
pyramids and Tutankhamun treasures which because of their popularity with the
public became a lynchpin of its expansion. Fees for those services, which
according to the Vocativ news web site ranged from $80,000 (£50,000) to
$200,000 a year, could be interpreted under US law as illegal bribes.
The Justice Department declined to confirm the
investigation. “As a matter of long-standing policy, we generally do not
confirm nor deny whether a matter is under investigation,” Peter Carr, a
spokesman with the Justice Department Criminal Division, told The Independent.
In a separate statement, a spokesperson for the National
Geographic, said: “The National
Geographic Society has complied with all applicable laws and acted
appropriately with respect to its relationship with Dr Zahi Hawass and the
government of Egypt.”
Dr Hawass was likewise indignant. “No one can bribe me,”
he told Vocativ. “I’m the most famous Egyptologist.”
Dr Hawass, who lost his perch as protector of his
country’s ancient treasures after the first Egyptian uprising and fall of
Mubarak, signed successive deals with National Geographic that named him an
“explorer-in-residence”. The deal gradually made him a celebrity with armchair
archaeology fans in America and wherever National Geographic TV is shown.
“When I became an ‘explorer’, I signed a contract to
write books and make lectures,” he insisted. “Based on the law, if you sign a
contract to write books and make lectures, you have to get the government’s
approval, and I did!” He added: “It was a contract. It was not a bribe. I gave
no single favour to National Geographic.”
Any US investigation will be focused less on any possible
wrongdoing by him but rather by National Geographic, a charity that first began
publishing its magazine with the familiar yellow borders in 1888, with
particular reference to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act which forbids US
entities from paying bribes to foreign government to gain an unfair competitive
advantage.
Companies targeted by the act recently have included
WalMart, accused of paying illegal fees to officials in Mexico to speed the
approval of building permits for its superstores.
The institution insists nothing was underhand in its
dealings with Dr Hawass. “If there were requests made by governmental entities
about our activities, we would co-operate fully and transparently,” a
spokesperson told Vocativ.
Connecting the Dots:
Frank G. Wisner was
a U.S. ambassador for Egypt and is a
director emeritus for Refugees International.
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for Refugees International
and the Brookings Institution (think tank).
George Soros was
the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.
Richard C. Blum
is an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), married
to Senator Dianne Feinstein and a council of adviser’s member for
the National Geographic Society.
Nigel Morris was
a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), and is a
trustee at the National Geographic Society.
Victoria P. Sant is
an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a
council of adviser’s member for the National Geographic Society.
Tracy R.
Wolstencroft is a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think
tank) and a trustee, council of adviser’s member for the National
Geographic Society.
B. Francis Saul II is
an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and
was a trustee at the National Geographic Society.
Theodore W. Waitt
is a trustee at the National Geographic Society and was a funder
for the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation.
Richard C. Blum is
a council of adviser’s member for the National Geographic Society, married
to Senator Dianne Feinstein and was a funder for the Bill,
Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation.
Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Bill, Hillary
& Chelsea Clinton Foundation.
George Soros is
the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations and was
the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.
Foundation to Promote Open Society was
a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank).
David
H. Koch is a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank) and
a council of adviser’s member for the National Geographic Society.
Sylvia A. Earle was
a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank) and an
explorer-in-residence at the National Geographic Society.
Resources: Past
Research
Egypt asks Turkish
ambassador to leave over support for Muslim Brotherhood (Past Research on Egypt)
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER
24, 2013
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2013/11/egypt-asks-turkish-ambassador-to-leave.html
Jay Z-Produced National
Geographic Series to Explore Race in Trump Era (Researchers Note: Chicago
Politics has a History of Playing the Race Card!) (Past
Research on the National Geographic Society)
THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2017
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