Saw this in my local paper today. Interesting that this uncommon DR behavior is "at the heart of the widening USOlympic Committee ethics scandal". But it's refreshing to know that there are some that can actually turn their back on a RD$3million+ enticement.
Alleged bribe attempt-
Transcript of a taped conversation between Lorenzo Williams (businessman with ties to USOC CEO and family) and Lowell Fernandez (project manager for Pam Am games), taped by Fernandez in his office in Santo Domingo ("Dr. Puello" is Jose Joaquin Puello, president of the Dominican Olympic Committee):
Lowell Fernandez: You should go ahead.
Lorenzo Williams: Uh, I don't know what the what the (unintelligible) I'm still talking about doing, uh, supplying the micro turbines (unintelligible). And our original proposal was for whenever we had this, we anticipated maybe 65 turbines and we said we'd be right around 3.4 million. What I'm proposing to you is that, whatever the number of micro turbines that it turns out to be ... I am willing not only to go along with our original proposal that I sell to you and then I buy back, I will buy all of those micro turbines back. I have customers lining up already for those micro turbines. So it's very important for me to get this deal. And I not only offer you the sponsorship of not only buying those back and the taxes we talked about, as you remember, I am also willing to, for you, as an appreciation from me, 5 percent for you and Dr. Puello, if I could.
Three seconds of silence (Fernandez is shaking his head).
LW: More?
LF: No, you should stand up and leave.
LW: I should? ... OK. ... Is that deal over?
LF: Yes.
LW: I was advised wrong. ... Let me just apologize.
LF: No, no. You should stand up and leave.
LW: OK, I will do that.
(Fernandez, in Spanish, rings his assistant and asks her to escort Williams out).
LW: I apologize, sir. Please accept my apologies.
(publshed in The Denver Post, 1/21/03)
Perhaps a set-up. Any thoughts?
Alleged bribe attempt-
Transcript of a taped conversation between Lorenzo Williams (businessman with ties to USOC CEO and family) and Lowell Fernandez (project manager for Pam Am games), taped by Fernandez in his office in Santo Domingo ("Dr. Puello" is Jose Joaquin Puello, president of the Dominican Olympic Committee):
Lowell Fernandez: You should go ahead.
Lorenzo Williams: Uh, I don't know what the what the (unintelligible) I'm still talking about doing, uh, supplying the micro turbines (unintelligible). And our original proposal was for whenever we had this, we anticipated maybe 65 turbines and we said we'd be right around 3.4 million. What I'm proposing to you is that, whatever the number of micro turbines that it turns out to be ... I am willing not only to go along with our original proposal that I sell to you and then I buy back, I will buy all of those micro turbines back. I have customers lining up already for those micro turbines. So it's very important for me to get this deal. And I not only offer you the sponsorship of not only buying those back and the taxes we talked about, as you remember, I am also willing to, for you, as an appreciation from me, 5 percent for you and Dr. Puello, if I could.
Three seconds of silence (Fernandez is shaking his head).
LW: More?
LF: No, you should stand up and leave.
LW: I should? ... OK. ... Is that deal over?
LF: Yes.
LW: I was advised wrong. ... Let me just apologize.
LF: No, no. You should stand up and leave.
LW: OK, I will do that.
(Fernandez, in Spanish, rings his assistant and asks her to escort Williams out).
LW: I apologize, sir. Please accept my apologies.
(publshed in The Denver Post, 1/21/03)
Perhaps a set-up. Any thoughts?
