From The Times of London:
A British-Iraqi billionaire lent millions of dollars to Barack Obama's fundraiser just weeks before an imprudent land deal that has returned to haunt the presidential contender, an investigation by The Times discloses.
The money transfer raises the question of whether funds from Nadhmi Auchi, one of Britain's wealthiest men, helped Mr Obama buy his mock Georgian mansion in Chicago.
A company related to Mr Auchi, who has a conviction for corruption in France, registered the loan to Mr Obama's bagman Antoin "Tony" Rezko on May 23 2005. Mr Auchi says the loan, through the Panamanian company Fintrade Services SA, was for $3.5 million.
The Rezko empire had was sinking in 2005. The taint of federal investigation made him persona non grata in many circles by then. Not to Obama, of course.
It was Rita Rezko, not Tony, who purchased the "Rezko Lot" south of the Obama home on the same day the Obamas closed on the mansion. Late in 2005, the Obamas purchased a 10' strip of the lot, and it remains my belief that the Obamas and the Rezkos had an agreement to slowly buy the lot--reuniting the properties. In other words, a loan that allowed the Obamas to afford their dream home.
It was $3.5 million 2007 loan from Auchi to Tony Rezko that put the billinaire's name in the news here. The Wilmette businessman didn't disclose it to authorites, which led to the revocation of Rezko's bond. Rezko, who lives in a stately mansion, is now jailed in the Metropolitan Correctional Center.
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4 comments:
You've got a typo in there, John. You say Obama was persona non grata; you mean Rezko of course.
Brainster
Fixed that. Thanks.
You say the loan was made in 2005, then you refer to it being made in 2007. I would also like to know the cost of Obamas house what it was up for and how much he paid.
Two loans.
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