AP: 5-Year Sentence in Oil-For-Food Caper (Tongsun Park)

Associated Press
5-Year Sentence in Oil-For-Food Caper
By LARRY NEUMEISTER 02.22.07, 8:24 PM ET

South Korean businessman Tongsun Park, who was accused in the 1970s of trying
to buy influence in Congress in the "Koreagate" scandal, was sentenced to five
years in prison for accepting at least $2 million to work on Iraq's behalf to
influence the U.N. oil-for-food program.

Park was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Denny Chin for his conviction seven
months ago on conspiracy charges. A jury had rejected his claims that he was a
middleman representing the U.N.'s interests in relieving the pain of Iraqis
under Saddam Hussein.

-snip-

Prosecutors said Park exploited his relationship with former U.N. Secretary-
General Boutros Boutros-Ghali to join an effort by Samir A. Vincent, an Iraqi-
American, to earn the favor of Iraq and share as much as $45 million in windfall
gains if the sanctions were lifted.

-snip-

Vincent, who testified against Park, has pleaded guilty to federal charges and
is cooperating with the government. He said Park arranged meetings during 1993
involving Park, Boutros-Ghali and Vincent, including three meetings at Boutros-
Ghali's New York residence.

-snip-