Here's a new reported scandal that eclipses even the landmark case, pending in the United States, against a Middle Eastern bank alleged to be paying out money to the next of kin of deceased Palestinian suicide bombers. A number of banks in Kabul are reputed to be involved in the payment of bounty to Taliban who kill American soldiers, and destroy US military combat vehicles.
The reports say that the Iranian Government, specifically believed to be the Revolutionary Guard Corps, has set up front companies, whose purported business involves construction. The payments are disguised as wages and salaries, and one media report indicates that the money is donated from foreign sources. Charities are also mentioned, but no corroborating information has been made public.
Here are the sordid details;
- * A payment [reward] of US$1000 for each US soldier killed by the Taliban.
* A payment of US$6000 for each US military combat vehicle destroyed.
One source disputes the accuracy of the money laundering method, stating that Iran, which takes in billions of dollars a year in petroleum revenue, does not need to resort to what it describes as a "convoluted method" of payment. Frankly, until someone personally involved in the scheme verifies the tradecraft involved, we cannot assert that the method reported here is totally accurate, but inasmuch as Afghan banks are alleged to be directly involved, we are duty bound to share this with our readers.
Is this scheme also in use in Iraq, and did it originate there ? We cannot say, but anytime classic money laundering techniques are reported, in all their permutations and combinations, in any context, WANTED SA will share it with our readers.
Please note that we recently recommended that you consider raising country risk for Afghanistan*.
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