U.S. diplomats in 2006: Stay away from Allen Stanford

According to a 2006 cable from the U.S. embassy in Bridgetown Barbados, U.S. diplomats tried to limit contact and avoidbeing photographed with the Antigua-based, Texas billionaire Allen Stanford more than two years before he was arrested and charged with orchestrating an $8 billion fraud: At an April 21 "Legends of Cricket" breakfast at the Barbados ...

By , a former associate editor at Foreign Policy.

According to a 2006 cable from the U.S. embassy in Bridgetown Barbados, U.S. diplomats tried to limit contact and avoidbeing photographed with the Antigua-based, Texas billionaire Allen Stanford more than two years before he was arrested and charged with orchestrating an $8 billion fraud:

According to a 2006 cable from the U.S. embassy in Bridgetown Barbados, U.S. diplomats tried to limit contact and avoidbeing photographed with the Antigua-based, Texas billionaire Allen Stanford more than two years before he was arrested and charged with orchestrating an $8 billion fraud:

At an April 21 "Legends of Cricket" breakfast at the Barbados Hilton, Ambassador Kramer found herself seated at the head table, along with Allen Stanford, the UK High Commissioner, and Barbados Prime Minister Owen Arthur. The Barbados group "Legends of Cricket" organized the breakfast with cricket greats from the past. Stanford cancelled another cricket-related event in Antigua and flew to Barbados to participate. (Note: Allen Stanford is a controversial Texan billionaire who has made significant investments in offshore finance, aviation, and property development in Antigua and throughout the region. His companies are rumored to engage in bribery, money laundering, and political manipulation. End Note.

[…]

7. (C) Embassy officers do not reach out to Stanford because of the allegations of bribery and money laundering. The Ambassador managed to stay out of any one-on-one photos with Stanford during the breakfast. For his part, Stanford said he preferred to conduct his business without contacting the Embassy, resolving any investment disputes directly with local governments. It is whispered in the region that Stanford facilitates resolution with significant cash contributions.

The State Department evidently did not share this information with the Democratic Party, which allowed Stanford to underwrite its 2008 convention. Stanford was photographed hugging Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and was publicly praised by former President Bill Clinton at the event. 

Joshua Keating was an associate editor at Foreign Policy. Twitter: @joshuakeating

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