Cameroon Amb. to U.S Interrogated by FBI By Sona Edward, March, 13, 2014 hits Cameroon Journal, Washington DC, Mar. 13 – More information is unfolding on a money-laundering scheme that led to the shutdown by the FBI, of two bank accounts in New York and one in Washington DC, belonging to the Cameroon UN Mission and the Cameroon Embassy in DC respectively. As we reported earlier, the accounts were shut down because of alleged connection of the kingpins behind them – Francois Ngoubene and Kinge Monono, with some of the Cameroonians arrested in a recent DC crackdown on home healthcare fraudsters. The Cameroon Journal has been reliably informed that Cameroon Ambassador in Washington, Joseph Charles Bienvenu Foe Atangana, was this month interrogated by FBI agents in connection to money laundering in the case involving Florence Bikundi, alias Flo Diamond. The CJ learned that Bikundi, who is awaiting trial for defrauding D.C Health services of well over $78 million, named the ambassador, Ngoubene and Kinge Monono, as accomplices in helping her transfer her stolen wealth into Cameroon. The recidivist felon is said to be singing like a hummingbird as she exposes her collaborators in the hope of landing a plea deal that could reduce her jail time. The Cameroon Ambassador, who is said to have benefited from Bikundi’s largesse, is alleged to have abused his diplomatic status in knowingly having the embassy create proxy accounts to conceal the transfer of Bikundi’s funds to Cameroon. Reports of his interrogation by the FBI have been circulating in the grapevine in the Embassy and the Cameroon community, but the FBI would neither confirm nor deny the allegations. In a phone conversation with Andre Ames, an FBI officer in Washington, it was evident from his demeanor that something was in the cooking. However, the officer won’t make any comments on the subject of the ambassador’s interrogation. After requesting for time to research the matter and get back to the Cameroon Journal, all we got from him in an email was “I must decline to comment regarding your inquiry today.” We made more than five phone calls to the Embassy in an attempt to speak with an official to inquire about the allegations; the phones rang and rang, and nobody picked them up. The Cameroon Journal has also been informed that there are plans to revoke the diplomatic immunity of Francois Ngoubene who has since left for Cameroon after he learned of his implication in the money laundering accounts in New York and in Washington. The Journal learned that Ngoubene, known to move about with a briefcase full of cash, is the kingpin in the money-laundering scheme of most officials of the Cameroon gov’t. He does huge cash purchases we gathered, for Remi Ze Meka, former Defence Minister and Chantal Biya, President Biya’s wife. He is said to be an untouchable at the Embassy in Washington D.C. Embassy staff we learned, can go for long periods without pay when he travels to Cameroon and even Foe Atangana, the ambassador and head of mission, fears him. The FBI has cast a wide net, extending to Cameroonian and French financial institutions to track and possibly spew the proceeds of this massive fraud scheme that may cost the DC government over $100 million. The FBI’s decline to comment regarding our inquiry, may not be unusual considering that it customarily does not comment on pending investigations. In a related story, the Journal has also learned that on March 7, during his arraignment, Arrey Kingsley Echi-Banyi, who is being held for same DC healthcare fraud charges, collapsed in court, when he was confronted by the undercover FBI agent who worked in his office. The lady was privy to all his business transactions. Some Cameroonians involved in the scheme have escaped to Canada and Cameroon. The investigation has also taken a heavy toll on the clandestine “chicken parlors and “achu” houses in the Washington Metro area owned by Cameroonians whose clientele has suddenly dried. - See more at: cameroonjournal/Cameroon%20Ambassador.html#sthash.mST5WoU8.dpuf
Posted on: Mon, 17 Mar 2014 01:42:35 +0000
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