- US Govt Ferrets America For Properties Linked To Jide Omokore
By Hamilton Nwosa(Head The New Diplomat’s Polling, Research & Data desk)
In a fashion likened to a high-stake movie, controversial businessman and ally of Diezani Alison-Madueke, a former minister of Petroleum Resources, Mr Kola Aluko, is about to forfeit his Los Angeles, United States mansion valued at N10bn which is about $26m (USD)
This development is reportedly coming on the heels of fast-paced moves by officials of the United States Department of Justice (DoJ) to establish that the property was acquired on American soil with ill-gotten money and proceeds from fraudulent Oil business deals in Nigeria.
Read also: Exclusive! $1.6bn Fraud: How Omokore, Diezani’s Front Blew N2.5bn In 2015 Polls
The New Diplomat gathered that US officials have already approached a US District Court in Southern District of Texas, arguing that the multi-million dollars property was acquired with money laundered from Nigeria illegally. This is said to be the first phase of the moves in the escalating legal proceedings to seize and confiscate Aluko’s multi-billion naira mansion in Los Angeles, California.
In a similar move, sources indicated to our correspondent that the United States is also ferreting the US for any property with possible links to another Diezani’s business ally, Chief Jide Omokore.
It would be recalled that the trio of Aluko, Omokore and Diezani were accused of engaging in Oil business deals and acts that were allegedly tantamount to defrauding the Nigerian government. Also according to United States DoJ officials both Aluko and Omokore allegedly offered Alison-Madueke huge motivation and bribes in return for oil production contracts worth $1.6 billion.
Read also: Diezani’s Ally, Aluko Loses New York Penthouse At $36m Auction Sale
Recall that the duo of Aluko and Omokore have been the focus of large scale corruption inquiries and investigations nationally and globally for alleged involvement in controversial oil deals during the time of Diezani as Nigeria’s Minister of Petroleum Resources.
In this regard, in 2019, some upscale properties in the US reportedly belonging to Aluko were seized and later auctioned by the authorities. Some of Aluko’s choice properties that were reportedly seized and auctioned included a yacht and a New York penthouse.
In a similar fashion, US DoJ officials said they have commenced proceedings aimed at seizing Aluko’s Los Angeles mansion. The DoJ is reportedly being represented by one Joshua Lee Sohn.
This choice property was allegedly bought in 2012 by Aluko and it has various exciting and fascinating features including several outlets, a swimming pool spread across a 1,400 square metres of land.
High-level sources reveal that the US DoJ is predicating its resolve to seize the property on grounds that the mansion was purportedly acquired from proceeds of fraud and corruption.
It would be further recalled that the Galactica Star, a superb yacht allegedly owned by Aluko was sold off in 2019 after both the US DoJ and the Federal government of Nigeria obtained an official court order to that effect. The yacht, with a market value estimated at $50 million was alleged to have been acquired on US soil with proceeds from fraud and corruption.
Read also: Dubious Oil Contracts: How Aluko, Omokore Rewarded Diezani With £11.45m Properties
Interestingly, Aluko was not alone in these cases. The troika of Aluko, Omokore and Diezani were accused of engaging in spending free on exotic and choice properties across the United States and other global jurisdictions including the United Kingdom. In one of the series of allegations, the US DoJ accused the both Omokore and Aluko of laundering funds from Oil business deals into the United States purportedly to buy properties and acquire other assets.
The background to this has its own genesis in when Diezani served as Nigeria’s minister for Petroleum Resources. She was accused of using her position to illicitly enrich the duo of Omokore and Aluko through Oil contracts that were hardly executed. One of the most controversial and contentious deal was the multiple Strategic Alliance Agreement(SAAs) entered into by NNPC subsidiary, NPDC and Omokore and Aluko companies to among other things, operate designated Oil fields. Some of the fields allegedly mentioned include OML26, 30,34,42,438 and 4.
However, it was alleged that deal reportedly cost the federal government $1.6 billion in revenues. The companies involved in the SAAs with NPDC were Atlantic Energy Brass Limited and Atlantic Energy Drilling Concept Limited associated with Omokore and Aluko. In January this year, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) filed charges against Omokore and others including Victor Briggs, Membere Abiye and the trial commenced before Justice Nnamdi Dimgab of the Federal High Court Abuja.
Read also: Oil Cowboy, Aluko’s $82 Million Yacht Becomes Subject Of Fresh Litigation
In another development, the Federal High Court in the Lagos Division in December last year granted the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON)’s request to take over Cedar Oil & Gas Exploration & Production Limited on grounds of a ₦29 billion debt. Cedar is a firm promoted by Omokore in addition to being chairman of Atlantic Energy Limited.
Justice C.J. Aneke who issued the order authorized AMCON to immediately take over Ceder as well as its assets on account of the alleged outstanding N29billion debt. Some of the properties of the companies reportedly taken over include Block A, NO 46 Gerrad Road, Ikoyi, Lagos with about 26 flats, plot 1236 River Niger Street, Maitama, Abuja, FCT, Marion Apartment, Block 8, NO 4 and 5 Onikoyi Estate, Banana Island, Lagos with about 43 apartment units therein.
AMCON spokesperson, Jude Nwauzor, said the Commission was acting in compliance with the Court order given by Justice Aneke.
