The Digest:
Paulinus Okoronkwo, a former NNPC general manager, has been found guilty in a U.S. court of accepting a $2.1 million bribe from Chinese-owned Addax Petroleum to influence oil drilling contracts in Nigeria. The case exposes transnational corruption networks and the misuse of public office for private gain.
Key Points:
- Okoronkwo was convicted on money laundering, tax evasion, and obstruction charges
- He received bribes in 2015 while serving as NNPC’s upstream division general manager
- Addax Petroleum wired funds disguised as legal consultancy fees to his law firm
- The bribe aimed to secure favorable terms for Addax’s oil drilling rights in Nigeria
- Okoronkwo used illicit funds to buy a luxury home in California and evaded taxes
- He faces up to 35 years in prison at his December sentencing
- The FBI and IRS led the investigation with support from international agencies
Sources: Premium Times
