UK To Seize $39 Million From Bhadresh Gohil For Helping Ibori Move Funds

 UK Takes Legal Action To Seize $39m From London Lawyer

Who Assisted Ibori Move Stolen Funds From Nigeria

confiscate $39.3m from Bhadresh Gohil, a London lawyer,

who assisted James Ibori to loot and launder funds from

Nigeria.

Ibori, ex-governor of Delta State, was convicted in 2010 in

the United Kingdom for money-laundering.

Gohil was also convicted in 2010 of 13 counts of money-

laundering and other offences linked to his role in the case.

Reuters reported that Gohil also masterminded a fraud in

which $37m in fake consultancy fees was stolen from two

Nigerian states in connection with the sale of their stakes in

a telecoms company.

Then a partner at a firm in the London district of Mayfair,

Gohil had helped Ibori channel stolen funds through shell

companies and offshore accounts and buy assets such as

an English country house and a $20 private jet -- although

police caught up with the men before the jet was delivered.

Banks have been fined and scandals revealed by leaks such

as the FinCEN and Panama papers, but it remains unusual

for direct beneficiaries such as Ibori and Gohil to be held to

account.

In Ibori's case, a hearing took place at London's Southwark

Crown Court in January. Prosecutors asked the court to

make a confiscation order against Ibori of 117.7 million

pounds.

The judge has yet to hand down his decision.

A hearing on Gohil's case is ongoing at the same court.

Lead prosecution counsel, Jonathan Kinnear, on Thursday

began setting out the details of what he said was Gohil's

criminal benefit.

Gohil will have a chance later in the hearing to call

witnesses and give evidence himself to dispute the

prosecution case.

Any confiscation order against him, as for Ibori, will be

i


ssued by the judge at a later date.

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