News / International
US man pleads guilty in Mugabe scheme
12 Apr 2014 at 19:22hrs | Views
A 72-year-old Chicago man has pleaded guilty to illegally lobbying U.S. lawmakers to lift sanctions against Zimbabwe's president and other members of his regime for a promise of $3.4 million.
Prince Asiel Ben Israel entered his guilty plea Friday in federal court in Chicago.
Prosecutors say he sought to persuade unnamed lawmakers to overturn sanctions against President Robert Mugabe and others in the southern African nation. The U.S. imposed the sanctions in 2003 for alleged democratic violations.
The Chicago Sun-Times reports Ben Israel pleaded guilty to failing to register as an agent of Mugabe.
He faces a maximum five-year prison sentence. But under terms of his plea agreement, he can argue for probation at sentencing later this year.
A co-defendant, C. Gregory Turner, has maintained he did nothing illegal.
Prince Asiel Ben Israel entered his guilty plea Friday in federal court in Chicago.
Prosecutors say he sought to persuade unnamed lawmakers to overturn sanctions against President Robert Mugabe and others in the southern African nation. The U.S. imposed the sanctions in 2003 for alleged democratic violations.
The Chicago Sun-Times reports Ben Israel pleaded guilty to failing to register as an agent of Mugabe.
He faces a maximum five-year prison sentence. But under terms of his plea agreement, he can argue for probation at sentencing later this year.
A co-defendant, C. Gregory Turner, has maintained he did nothing illegal.
Source - AP
