Macau Bribery Case Rocks United Nations P2,3
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BANGKOK SHOW SOLD ASSISTANCE TO LOCAL MIXED VIEWS OUT INSTANTLY ECONOMY PRAISED ON WHAT Madonna’s first show in Efforts to bring more tourists into OCCUPY Bangkok sold out in under an the region could be more crucial CENTRAL hour. Her “Rebel Heart” world than any others, MGM China’s tour is also coming to Macau CEO Grant Bowie said ACHIEVED P4 P7 P10,11 THU.08 Oct 2015 T. 25º/ 30º C H. 75/ 95% Blackberry email service powered by CTM MOP 5.00 2414 N.º HKD 7.50 FOUNDER & PUBLISHER Kowie Geldenhuys EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Paulo Coutinho “ THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN’ ” WORLD BRIEFS GOV’T: NO COMMENTS CHINA-US A man has been sentenced to three years and one month in prison for importing counterfeit electronic components Macau bribery case from China and Hong Kong for use by American customers, including builders of the U.S. Navy’s nuclear submarines. Peter Picone, 42, was sentenced rocks United Nations P2,3 in federal court in Hartford, Conn. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit military goods. In addition to the prison sentence, the judge ordered him to pay USD352,076 in restitution Grand Prix entry to 31 companies whose circuits he counterfeited. CHINA The death toll from a powerful typhoon list revealed, top in southern China has reached 20 people, Chinese state media reported. The official racers to storm Xinhua News Agency said that the southern region of Guangxi reported an additional two deaths, in through Guia addition to the 18 deaths reported earlier from the neighboring province of Guangdong. Circuit P5 JAPANESE Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has reshuffled his Cabinet to focus on reviving the world’s No. 3 economy. A newly appointed minister will steer programs aimed at achieving a strong economy and increased birth rate so the population stabilizes and the country can stay afloat. Nine ministers were replaced in the reshuffle. More on backpage 7 days to go 08.10.2015 thu th Anniversary 2 MACAU 澳聞 .S. officials say that The new charges may be con- the arrests of the nected to other cases, with Ng former president of last year having failed to com- the United Nations ply with a request from U.S. UN corruption probe at its ‘early stages’ UGeneral Assembly, John Ashe, prosecutors to answer ques- and Macau developer Ng Lap tions before a Nevada grand Seng are part of the early sta- jury in an overseas bribery Lorenzo was arrested outside ges of a probe into corruption investigation. His name also the midtown Manhattan offi- at the organization. came up in a lawsuit alleging ces of the South-South News. Preet Bharara, the U.S. at- Sheldon Adelson, the 82-year He’s the president of the news torney in Manhattan, issued -old billionaire founder and organization, which covers a warning to officials at the chairman of Las Vegas Sands global development issues as UN Tuesday as he announ- Corp., ordered secret investi- well as the United Nations. ced the charges against John gations in business and finan- “Ambassador Lorenzo acted Ashe, who’s accused of taking cial affairs of Macau govern- in good faith at all times,” said USD1.3 million in bribes, and ment officials. his lawyer, Brian Bieber. “He Francis Lorenzo, the ambas- Adelson said he didn’t know trusted the people he associa- sador to the UN for the Domi- Ng in testimony at a May hea- ted with and relied upon their nican Republic, who’s accused ring in Las Vegas. integrity in all business dealin- of helping Macau developer Ng, 68, who has a personal gs. He had no knowledge of Ng Lap Seng pay bribes to net worth of about $1.8 billion, any of their criminal actions.” Ashe and others. has been held in a federal jail U.S. Magistrate Judge James “There is a lot more work to in Manhattan since he was ar- Francis agreed to release Ashe do,” Bharara said at a press rested Sept. 19 in a separate U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara announces an indictment against six United Nations on $1 million bond secured by conference, adding his team case, accused of bringing $4.5 individuals during a news conference his property and directed that had only scratched the sur- million into the country and he remain under house arrest face. “Is bribery business as lying about its purpose to U.S. what Ng did with the cash. Ashe sent $100,000 to the with electronic monitoring. usual at the UN?” authorities. Bharara said pro- “We’re looking at all the mo- prime minister in a series of Robert Van Lierop, Ashe’s The complaint lays out in de- secutors were investigating ney,” Bharara said. “We follow $20,000 checks and he sent lawyer, said his client had a tail a series of payments from the money.” about $13,000 to the prime “sterling reputation” and wou- Chinese nationals, as well as Ashe, the former ambassa- minister’s political party. That ldn’t leave the U.S. because Lorenzo, to Ashe, that were In February dor to the UN for Antigua and was part of the $170,000 in his family lives here. intended to get UN support Barbuda, was also accused total the prime minister recei- “We will fight the charges for a multibillion-dollar pro- 2012, Ashe of sharing some of the bribe ved from one of Ashe’s bank and he will be acquitted,” Van ject in Macau. Separately, submitted a money with the Caribbean accounts, the U.S. said. Lierop said after court. other Chinese nationals paid nation’s prime minister as he The Antigua mission to the Shiwei Yan and Heidi Hong Ashe hundreds of thousands document lobbied for the Chinese inte- UN didn’t respond to multiple Piao, whom the U.S. accused of dollars to open doors in his rests, the U.S. said. requests for comment. of arranging bribes for Ashe, native Antigua, according to to the UN “Going to Antigua on Thurs- Five of the Six defendants were both arrested at a Ma- the complaint. Ashe also in- day to vote and would need to named in the criminal com- nhattan residence near the troduced a Chinese business supporting take something for the PM,” plaint unsealed in Manhattan UN’s Manhattan headquar- executive to a UN counterpart Ng’s Macau Ashe wrote Lorenzo in a June federal court were arrested ters, Langmesser said. from Kenya, with the goal of 8, 2014, e-mail, according to and held without bail after Lawyers for the other four facilitating business invest- Conference the U.S. “Hope I can have the appearing in court, said Kelly defendants declined to com- ments in Nairobi, the U.S. $26 K in cash before then.” Langmesser, a spokeswoman ment on the charges. said. Center According to the complaint, for the FBI’s New York office. One of Ng’s lawyers is Guy Da- HE latest on alle- Tgations that former United Nations Gene- The Latest: Ashe implicated himself ral Assembly President Josh Ashe accepted bri- bes to help a Chinese ter in the Chinese re- to secure his appearan- in connection with the real estate mogul and gion of Macau. ces in Manhattan fede- bribery conspiracy to other businesspeople AP PHOTO Arguing for deten- ral court on tax charges. have bail set. The others gain investments and tion, Richenthal said Prosecutors say Ashe were detained. government contracts more serious charges accepted $1.3 million in (all USA time): were possible. Defen- bribes from 2011 throu- 3:55 p.m. The gover- se lawyer Robert Van gh 2014 from Chinese nment of Antigua and 8 p.m. A prosecutor Lierop said the defense businesspeople to ob- Barbuda says a former says charges against a would assert Ashe’s im- tain his support for the United Nations Gene- former United Nations munity and Ashe will be construction of a multi- ral Assembly president General Assembly pre- vindicated. billion dollar conferen- who has been char- sident accused of ac- ce center in the Chinese ged in connection with cepting USD1.3 million John Ashe speaks at United Nations headquarters 7:15 p.m. Bail has region of Macau. a bribery conspiracy in bribes may be upgra- been set at $1 million It was unlikely he holds no position in the ded. his Dobbs Ferry home. charges. for a former United Na- would be released Tues- government. The prosecutor — Da- Ashe was arrested on Authorities say Ashe tions General Assembly day. His lawyer told re- A government state- niel Richenthal — told a tax charges that carry a conspired with Chine- president charged in porters outside court ment sent to The Asso- Manhattan federal ma- potential maximum pe- se businesspeople who connection with a bri- he expects Ashe to be ciated Press on Tuesday gistrate judge Tuesday nalty of six years in pri- paid him $1.3 million bery conspiracy. vindicated. The govern- says John Ashe was that John Ashe made son. A magistrate judge since 2011 to support John Ashe was also or- ment opposed bail. U.N. ambassador under incriminating state- set bail at $1 million, ci- building a multibillion dered Tuesday to wear Ashe was the only one the former United Pro- ments after his arrest at ting the relatively light dollar conference cen- an electronic bracelet of six people charged gressive Party govern- DIRECTOR AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF_Paulo Coutinho [email protected] A MACAU TIMES PUBLICATIONS LTD PUBLICATION www.macaudailytimes.com.mo MANAGING EDITOR_Paulo Barbosa [email protected] MDT’s Website has logged over CONTRIBUTING EDITORS_Eric Sautedé, Leanda Lee, Severo Portela ADMINISTRATOR AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER CHINA & FOREIGN EDITOR_Vanessa Moore [email protected] Kowie Geldenhuys [email protected] 94 million page views DESIGN EDITOR_João Jorge Magalhães [email protected] | NEWSROOM AND CONTRIBUTORS_ SECRETARY Juliana Cheang [email protected] Albano Martins, Annabel Jackson, Aries Un, Brook Yang, Emilie Tran, Grace Yu, Irene Sam, Jacky I.F.