Former UN Official Sentenced for Bribery

Sanjaya Bahel, who once served as chief of the United Nations Commodity Procurement Section, was sentenced to eight years in prison last week in U.S. District Court. Bahel was found guilty last June of bribery, wire fraud, and mail fraud for assisting a friend gain $100 million in UN contracts in exchange for cash and discounted luxury apartments in Manhattan. ^[1]

In addition to his prison sentence, Bahel was ordered to pay $103,500 and turn over his interest in the apartments. Prior to sentencing, Bahel asked the court for leniency. "All that I have has been lost as I stand before you…I have let down a great many people."^[2]

The conviction was the result of an intensive investigation by UN authorities, which was presented to United States federal prosecutors in 2006. After serving his sentence, Bahel is expected to return to home in India.^[3]

Further information on bribery and fraud can be found on both the Transnational and Federal Crimes websites, with relevant cases found on the Transnational and Federal Crimes Blogs.

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[1] Associated Press, Ex-UN Official Sentenced to 8 Years, April 1, 2008 (available at http://www.ap.org).

[2] Id.

[3] Id.