Nadhmi Auchi is Shady

The Fairness Doctrine: What is it? Why is it bad? What can YOU do to stop it from coming back?

Who Supports Buttcrack?

Nadhmi Auchi

Who am I?

Nadhmi Auchi is a British billionaire businessman who was born in Iraq. He is the founder and chairman of General Mediterranean Holding (GMH), a conglomerate of 120 companies worldwide. In the Sunday Times Rich List 2008 ranking of the wealthiest people in the UK he was placed 27th with an estimated fortune of £2,150 million.

Facts about Obama and I

Auchi was a member of the Baath Party in Iraq before Saddam Hussein came to power. While he denies any ties to Hussein's government, British media reports indicate he sold naval ships to Hussein’s government in the 1980s.

He is one of the largest shareholders in BNP Paribas, a French bank involved in the United Nations Oil-for-Food Program for Iraq.

In 2003, Auchi was convicted of fraud, and given a 15 month suspended sentence and a £1.5m fine for taking illegal payments from French oil company Elf Aquitaine. Following the verdict, Elf (by now merged with TotalFina and re-named Total) decided to take legal action against Auchi in France; Auchi responded by suing Total for £200m in turn, this time in the UK.

In recent years he has entered into several partnerships with Chicago-area businessman Tony Rezko, effectively coming to his rescue as his various investment schemes began collapsing. Auchi bought about 15 of Rezko's pizzerias in Wisconsin, according to court records. In 2005 he took a stake in Rezko's South Loop development at Roosevelt Road and Clark Street, a deal estimated by observers familiar with the details at $170 million.

In 2008 Stuart Levine, the U.S. government's star witness in the corruption trial against Rezko, asserted that Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, were among the guests at party in Auchi's honor that took place at Rezko's residence on 3 April 2004. While Obama has acknowledged his ties to Rezko, a spokesman said that the senator responded that "Sen. Obama does not recall meeting Nadhmi Auchi at any time or on any occasion, and this includes any event that may have been held for Mr. Auchi."

In 2008 The Times of London reported the discovery of state documents in Illinois recording that a Panamanian company by the name of Fintrade Services lent money to a fund raiser for Obama in 2005. Fintrade’s directors included Ibtisam Auchi, the name of Mr. Auchi’s wife. Spokespeople declined to answer when questioned about whether he was linked to this business.

The Times also reported that Auchi's company loaned Tony Rezko $3.5 million three weeks before Rezko's lot and Obama's new home were purchased in 2005.

The Case of Tony Rezko - Auchi Connection