The Azerbaijani Laundromat: $3 Billion Azerbaijani Money Laundering and Lobbying Scheme Exposed

The U.K.’s the Guardian Exposes Azerbaijani Scheme That Paid Politicians and Journalists

BAKU, Azerbaijan—An in-depth investigation by the U.K.’s the Guardian newspaper has revealed that Azerbaijan’s ruling elite operated a secret $2.9 billion scheme to pay European decision-makers, purchase luxury goods, and launder funds through a network of British companies.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Azerbaijani First Lady and First Prime Minister Mehriban Aliyeva (Photo: panamapapers.icij.org)

Azerbaijan’s leadership made more than 16,000 covert payments between 2012 and 2014, according to information presented by the Guardian. Some of the money was given to lawmakers, politicians, and journalists as part of an international lobbying mission to deflect criticism of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and to portray Azerbaijan in a positive light.

The Guardian report notes that there is no suggestion that the recipients were necessarily aware of the original source of the money, as it arrived via a circuitous route.

Read the Guardian’s full report here: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/sep/04/uk-at-centre-of-secret-3bn-azerbaijani-money-laundering-and-lobbying-scheme.

“The Azerbaijani Laundromat” (Source: Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project/The Guardian)

The Armenian Weekly will be closely following developments on this story and will provide updates in the coming days.

 

5 Comments

  1. The azeris are using their 3 billion petrodollars to corrupt politicians in Europe and elsewhere, so that means our diplomats and our lobby groups need to work real hard to neutralise their propaganda lies and moves.

  2. ArmenianWeekly is misreading the Guardian article by claiming here the Guardian “notes” there “is no suggestion that the recipients were necessarily aware of the original source of the money”. When it said that, the Guardian article is talking about third-party individuals and businesses, such as the suppliers of goods or educational services; it is certainly not claiming this about individuals or businesses who have been paid directly by Azerbaijan or its various front companies to produce propaganda for Azerbaijan.

  3. Like father, like son,
    Downfall of Soviet Union started with the father of today’s famous Axeri oil supplier Haidar Aliyev. Even corrupted Soviet officials outraged by Haidar Aliyev mounting corrupted habits. giving an expensive diamond ring to Brezhnev caused more trouble for Soviet authorities, than ever before. Finally Gorbachev Perestroika thrown him out of communist circle at the end!

  4. There is no negotiating with a regime like this. The only thing they understand is their own demise. Arm and support the Armenian and Artsakh army. Unify as one diaspora. These are horrible people who don’t care about anyone or anything other them themselves and are scheming to hurt Armenia. they need to go. Be prepared.

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