New york: The phrase 'holy rain' was used as a code for bribe payments in a scheme allegedly involving Ghanaian government officials and Asante Kwaku Berko, a former Goldman Sachs executive.
According to Ghana Web, evidence presented at a US federal court revealed that Berko, a dual citizen of the United States and Ghana, along with his co-conspirators, used the phrase when discussing money to be paid to individuals involved in the approval of a power plant project in Ghana. The US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York shared details of the alleged crime, stating that in one email exchange in August 2015, a bribe recipient was described as waiting for the 'holy rain' and would 'appreciate it sooner rather than later.'
The US Department of Justice indicated that the 'holy rain' was a reference to a bribe payment as Berko and his associates worked to secure the power plant deal for Turkish energy company Aksa Enerji Uretim A.S. The scheme reportedly involved more than $1 million in bribes to several Ghanaian officials, with payments discussed at different stages of the project.
In April 2015, discussions between Berko and his co-conspirators involved paying $1 million to Ghana's then Minister of Power and another $250,000 to the minister's senior adviser. Additionally, bribes were paid to five Ghanaian officials during an all-expenses-paid trip to Turkey to inspect equipment for the proposed power plant.
The US added that after Ghana's Parliament approved the agreement in July 2015, conspirators continued discussions on how to make and conceal the payments. One such payment involved $250,000 distributed to various individuals, including $46,000 paid to members of Parliament who had ratified the agreement. Evidence showed that Berko personally made the $46,000 payment.
Prosecutors stated that the conspirators did not openly describe the payments as bribes in their communications. Instead, they used coded language and other methods to conceal the scheme. Berko also used his personal email account instead of his Goldman Sachs business account to discuss the deal and the payments, instructing his co-conspirators to do the same. The money was further concealed through shell companies, sham invoices, nominee account holders, and cash withdrawals.
Berko was convicted by a federal jury in Brooklyn on charges of conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, violating the Act, and money laundering conspiracy. He was ordered to remain in custody pending sentencing and faces up to 30 years in prison.