Allegations of Wrongdoing Tied to BCCI

AS the scandal at the Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI) ripples through South America, Africa, Asia, Europe, and the United States, government investigations are uncovering key acts of impropriety.Below is a less than exhaustive list of specific allegations of wrongdoing spurred by BCCI: United States. Allegations that key officers in First American Bankshares Inc., Washington's largest holding company, knew of BCCI's ownership of First American and benefited from illegal financial deals. Former Defense Secretary Clark Clifford, now chairman of First American, and Robert Altman, president of the holding company, are implicated and under scrutiny by federal and Congressional investigators. Peru. Former President Alan Garcia Perez has been accused of links to $3 million in alleged bribes paid by BCCI officials to Peruvian Central Bank officials who placed $270 million on deposit with BCCI in Panama. Britain. Former BCCI officials allege that British MI5 intelligence service knew years ago that BCCI held terrorist accounts, but chose to ignore them while tracking arms deals. An ex-BCCI manager has alleged that Palestinian terrorist Abu Nidal opened a $50 million account at a London BCCI branch in 1981.