UN examines donations from foundation tied to alleged bribe scheme

UNITED NATIONS, (Reuters) – The United Nations said yesterday it was examining how donations were used from a foundation linked to one of six people charged by U.S. authorities in an alleged bribery scheme tied to a former president of the U.N. General Assembly.

U.S. prosecutors filed a complaint in federal court in New York on Tuesday, outlining how more than $1.3 million in bribes were received from Chinese businessmen, including billionaire Macau real estate developer Ng Lap Seng.

Prosecutors said some of the bribes were arranged through Sheri Yan, chief executive officer of a New York-based organization, and Heidi Park, its finance director, who were also arrested. Central to the complaint was former president of the General Assembly John Ashe of Antigua and Barbuda.

The organization was not named, but the Global Sustainability Foundation website lists Yan and Park as holding those positions.