A former Guinea government minister was sentenced to seven years in prison on Friday following his conviction of laundering $8.5 million in bribes that US prosecutors say he took in exchange for helping a Chinese conglomerate secure mining rights. "He saw corruption all around him, and decided ultimately to succumb to corruption," she said. The case is one of several corruption cases around the world tied to Guinea's mining sector. They said Thiam used the money to fund a lavish lifestyle, including a mansion north of New York City and private schools for his children. Thiam also admitted that he lied repeatedly to banks about the source of the money and concealed the fact that he was a government minister in Guinea.

Source: The Star August 25, 2017 18:00 UTC