Texan 'gave millions to Saddam' 

A Texan oil billionaire has gone on trial in the US accused of paying millions of dollars in kickbacks to Saddam Hussein's government. 

September 11, 2007
BBC News
Original Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/business/6988929.stm


Oscar Wyatt, 83, is said to have given the money to Baghdad officials to illegally buy extra Iraqi oil under the United Nations' oil-for-food programme. 
This scheme ran from 1996 to 2003 and allowed Iraq to finance humanitarian goods purchases through sales of oil. 
Mr Wyatt, who pleads his innocence, could be facing a 74-year sentence. 
'Presidents' friend' 
Assistant US Attorney Stephen Miller claimed in his opening statement to a Manhattan court that: When the world imposed sanctions on Iraq, Oscar Wyatt stepped up to help them evade sanctions. 
By contrast, Mr Wyatt's lawyers insist he did not pay any surcharge to the Iraqis. 
They instead claim the case against Mr Wyatt was entwined with his opposition to both US-led wars against Iraq. 
Mr Wyatt's lawyers added that while the World War II veteran was no friend or admirer of either President Bush, he was a friend and confident to most other US presidents from John F Kennedy to Bill Clinton. 
At the time of Mr Wyatt's alleged crimes, Iraq was under United Nations (UN) sanctions imposed as a result of its 1990 invasion of neighbouring Kuwait. 
The sale of its oil during this period was supposed to have been extensively monitored by the UN, but Iraqi officials started to demand extra payments to win such contracts and gain extra oil above the allowed levels. 
Self-made man 
Iraq's post-Saddam Hussain government alleged in 2005 that as many as 2,000 Western businessmen, organisations and UN officials were involved in the scandal. 
That same year, the US Senate concluded that corruption had allowed Saddam Hussein's government to pocket about $13.6bn (£6.7bn). 
Mr Wyatt faces five charges including engaging in prohibited financial transactions with Iraq. 
A self-made man, Mr Wyatt started his business life selling oil drill parts from the back of his car. 
In 2000 and 2001 he sold his company Coastal to El Paso for $17bn in stock.