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Asante Berko convicted in U.S. bribery scheme involving Ghana power contract
Asante Kwaku Berko, a former Goldman Sachs executive and Managing Director of the Tema Oil Refinery, has been convicted by a federal jury in Brooklyn on charges including conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and money laundering. The conviction stems from a scheme to secure a power plant contract in Ghana for the Turkish energy company Aksa Enerji between 2014 and 2017.
Prosecutors established that Berko and co-conspirators funneled over $1 million in bribes to various levels of the Ghanaian government to ensure the deal was awarded to Aksa Enerji. The scheme utilized shell companies, sham invoices, and nominee accounts to bypass compliance teams. Goldman Sachs ultimately withdrew from the financing deal due to these corruption concerns.
In response to the U.S. verdict, the Ghanaian Attorney General’s office is collaborating with U.S. authorities, and the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) has launched investigations to trace related funds and assets within Ghana. The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has called for swift legal action against implicated Ghanaian officials.
Dr. Kwabena Donkor, who served as Ghana’s Minister of Power during the period of negotiations, has emphatically denied any involvement. Through his legal team, Donkor stated he never met Berko, never discussed personal benefits, and never authorized any such requests.
Entities
Aksa Enerji · Asante Kwaku Berko · Ghana · Ghanaian Attorney General · Goldman Sachs · Kwabena Donkor · Office of the Special Prosecutor
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 2 SOURCES] The Ghanaian Attorney General's office is collaborating with U.S. authorities regarding the Berko conviction. www.ghanamma.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] Former Minister of Power Dr. Kwabena Donkor denied ever meeting Asante Berko or discussing personal benefits related to the deal. time.news · www.adomonline.com · dailyguidenetwork.com
- [● 5 SOURCES] The bribery scheme involved funneling payments to various levels of the Ghanaian government to secure a power plant contract for Aksa Enerji. time.news · www.ghanamma.com · theghanareport.com · thechronicle.com.gh
- [● 5 SOURCES] Asante Kwaku Berko was convicted in a Brooklyn federal court on charges including conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and money laundering. time.news · www.ghanamma.com · theghanareport.com · thechronicle.com.gh
- [● 2 SOURCES] Goldman Sachs withdrew from the power plant financing deal due to corruption concerns. time.news
- [● 2 SOURCES] Ghana's Economic and Organised Crime Office has begun investigating the Ghanaian aspects of the case to trace related funds and assets. www.myjoyonline.com · dailyguidenetwork.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The bribery scheme involved paying more than $1 million in bribes to Ghanaian officials. thechronicle.com.gh · theghanareport.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Asante Berko faces a maximum prison sentence of 30 years. thechronicle.com.gh