British millionaire linked to BAE commission payments in papers
David Leigh, Rob Evans and Mark Milner
Thursday February 22, 2007
The Guardian
Known as the "White Sultan", Landon has a fortune estimated at £500m. He earned his nickname as the power behind the throne in Oman, a Gulf oil state. He returned to England to purchase a Hampshire estate with village and a string of grouse moors. His lawyers describe him as "intensely private". Czech police investigating BAE's arms deals are alleged to have found secret payments were made through Valurex, an offshore company controlled by Brig Landon. According to the documents, Valurex was used in turn to engage an Austrian count, who promoted controversial BAE fighter sales to the Czech government.
According to the documents published this week from Czech sources, Brig Landon's company Valurex is also promoting sales by BAE throughout eastern Europe, to Hungary, Bulgaria and Slovakia. More than £4m was allegedly paid to Valurex, starting in 2003."We are not guilty of corrupt practices,"Brig Landon's lawyers said yesterday. It is not alleged that he or his company was involved in any improper payments themselves. Czech police, along with the Serious Fraud Office in Britain, are investigating BAE's use of the Austrian agent, Count Alfons Mensdorff-Pouilly. The deals he was promoting, to lease Anglo-Swedish Gripen fighters to Prague for £400m, have been the subject of bribery allegations. Count Alfons denies he was linked to Valurex, and that he paid any bribes.
A Swedish TV programme this week published documents it said implicated Count Alfons and two other prominent Czech agents in receiving secret payments from BAE. The US government protested to Britain when allegations of bribery were made. But Sir Kevin Tebbit, permanent secretary at the British Ministry of Defence, refused to investigate.
The Czech deal is being scrutinised in three countries: by the Serious Fraud Office, by Czech police, and by the Swedish authorities. Yesterday, Christer van der Kwast, the Swedish chief prosecutor, said he had requested documents from Saab, BAE's partner in the deal, and will decide "in short time" whether to launch a full-scale investigation. He has also obtained documents from SFO investigators after meeting them in London this month.
BAE, which is due to announce its annual results today, has cancelled its traditional press conference because of "time pressures", a spokeswoman said.
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