Diezani Alison-Madueke, former oil minister of Nigeria, has been accused of bribery in the UK.
She may have taken money in exchange for signing multi-million dollar oil and gas contracts.
She played a significant role in former President Goodluck Jonathan’s government and was the first woman to lead the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
The 63-year-old, who has been out on bail since her 2015 arrest in London, has refuted the accusations of wrongdoing.
The UK’s National Crime Agency has frozen valuable items worth millions of pounds related to the suspected crimes.
“These charges are a significant step in a comprehensive and complicated global investigation,” explained Andy Kelly, who works in the International Corruption Unit of the NCA.
The NCA claims that Ms. Alison-Madueke, who was the oil minister from 2010 to 2015, is accused of receiving benefits from:
At least £100,000 ($127,000) in money
Chauffeur-driven cars are vehicles that are driven by professional drivers.
Traveling on airplanes that are owned and used by individuals or companies for their own personal trips.
. Fancy vacations for families
. Using multiple properties in London.
. Furniture, repairs and employees for the buildings.
. Paying for fees at a non-government school.
. Presents from fancy stores like Cartier and Louis Vuitton.
The US Department of Justice has found and taken back $53. 1 million connected to Ms. Alison-Madueke’s believed illegal actions. They were able to do this because of evidence that the NCA gave them in March.
The NCA said that its agents also worked closely with Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency, the EFCC.
The EFCC, which is a government agency, said that they found about $153 million and over 80 properties that belonged to a politician who was a member of the cabinet starting in 2007.
She started as the transport minister, then switched to the ministry of mines before becoming responsible for the oil sector.
MsAlison-Madueke, who currently lives in a suburb called St. John’s Wood in London, will go to court on 2 October according to the NCA (National Crime Agency).
Nigeria produces a lot of oil, but not many people in the country have actually gotten richer because of it.
It is one of the 13 countries that belong to the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec), which was created to handle the global supply of oil and determine its cost.