Detroit suburb takes on military contractor over alleged $2B paid to Saudi prince

My NPR colleague JJ Sutherland recently filed this story about how a quiet Detroit suburb took on a giant military contractor in a legal battle that involved a massive arms deal, British fighter jets, a Saudi prince and billions of dollars in payments to a longtime ambassador to the United States.

Harper Woods, Mich., has filed a lawsuit against a massive defense contractor, BAE Systems, over allegations that the company funneled payments to a member of the Saudi royal family.
In the process, this small city has become a central player in an investigation that spans continents, involves accusations of corruption on an unimaginable scale, and has players ranging from former British Prime Minister Tony Blair to a substitute teacher.

Pictured above, Prince Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud, the man Harper Woods, Mich., alleges BAE Systems paid $2 billion over a period of about 20 years to win a fighter-jet contract.

Link to text overview and audio, and documents related to a corporate ethics investigation of BAE.

Discussion

Take a look at this

#1 posted by Jeff , June 17, 2008 7:08 AM

"corruption on an unimaginable scale." I dunno, I can imagine a lot. And that isn't even taking into consideration the corruption that the city's mayor is guilty of.

#2 posted by Troutbiscuits , June 17, 2008 7:29 AM

Interesting that they are suing British Aerospace Systems rather than one of the home grown corruption mongers like Lockheed Martin or Halliburton. Not that I think what BAE or the Saudis did should go unpunished, I just think it is a bit rich to push for sanctions against them when it will inevitably benefit American arms traders.

#3 posted by Hal Eckhart , June 17, 2008 7:29 AM

Don't forget that this guy is such a close friend of the Bush family that Dubya named him Bandar Bush.

#4 posted by SamSam , June 17, 2008 10:02 AM

Wow, I was almost going to work for BAE. Well... not really, but they asked me to apply...

Odds that trying a case involving companies with untold billions and high-level politicians will actually succeed in finding any high-level perps guilty? I'd say 10,000 to 1.

#5 posted by Ernst Gruengast , June 17, 2008 10:24 AM

Fantastic that this city is prepared to take these guys on where the UK governmant isn't (for obvious reasons - 3 governments, including Blair's are complicit in the whole deal and helped facilitate funnelling the money).

I really hope it comes to something, but I suspect as ling ass Dubya's there, strings will be pulled so that it won't.

When Blair and Bush were together at the last G8, Blair was asked by a journalist about his shutting doen the investigation. Both Bush and Blair looked totally embarassed, exchanged glances, sniggered like schoolboys, then Bush said "I'm real glad I don't have to answer that question". Their squirming really was a sight to behold. Afraid I can't find it on YouTube, but there's always this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTzs9G-VOZ4
priceless!

Yours respectfully,

Ernst

#6 posted by arkizzle , June 17, 2008 5:02 PM

Ernst,
that vid you linked-to was fantastic! Really well done :)
Thanks..

#7 posted by J.D. , June 19, 2008 11:14 AM

Nitpick: Harper Woods is a Detroit suburb, or a Michigan city, but not a "Detroit city".

#8 posted by Xeni Jardin