U.S. businessman who bribed U.N. official gets probation
May 12, 2008
Yahoo News
Original Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080512/us_nm/un_bribes_kohli_dc_1
NEW YORK (Reuters) - An Indian-born U.S. businessman who testified he bribed a former United Nations procurement official in return for at least $50 million in U.N. contracts was sentenced to five years' probation on Monday. 
Nishan Kohli, 31, received the reduced sentence after cooperating with U.S. prosecutors in the conviction of Sanjaya Bahel, who served as chief of the Commodity Procurement Section within the U.N.'s Procurement Division from 1999 to 2003.
Kohli, who pleaded guilty in 2006 to one count of bribery, testified in Bahel's trial that he bribed him with cash, first-class plane tickets and reduced prices as a renter then buyer of a luxury Manhattan apartment. The bribes were estimated to be worth more than $400,000.
In return, Bahel passed on inside information and expert advice to help secure contracts for two companies -- the Indian government-owned Telecommunications Consultants India Ltd. and Thunderbird Industries LLC -- represented by Kohli.
My crimes have weighed heavily on my soul, Kohli told U.S. District Judge Thomas Griesa during sentencing in Manhattan federal court.
The judge said he reduced Kohli's sentence in light of his prompt cooperation and after learning that Kohli's father had a large impact on the business dealings with Bahel.
In April Bahel was sentenced to more than eight years in prison. After his conviction U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he was satisfied that justice has been done.
Kohli, who lives in Florida, was ordered to forfeit $600,000. He had faced a maximum sentence of ten years in prison.
(Reporting by Christine Kearney