David Teather in New York
Thursday December 16, 2004
The Guardian
Tyco, the American conglomerate in which former Tory party chairman Michael Ashcroft was a director, is being investigated for its part in the oil-for-food programme in Iraq in the 90s.
In a filing with the US securities regulator, Tyco said the securities and exchange com mission had asked about its participation in the scheme. It is to cooperate fully.
Under the UN programme, Iraq was allowed to sell oil and buy goods to help reduce the impact of sanctions on ordinary citizens. Tyco supplied medical products and plastic liners for oil pipelines.
The SEC has requested documents from several firms and is trying to determine whether any companies conducted business improperly under a programme that, it has emerged, was riddled with corruption.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/story/0,3604,1374618,00.html