A former Hong Kong official working on behalf of a Chinese energy group was found guilty of charges relating to an alleged scheme to facilitate arms transactions in Africa and the Middle East, as well as brokering business with Iran that violated US sanctions.
Patrick Ho Chi-ping was convicted in Manhattan federal court on Wednesday on seven of the eight counts against him, a spokesman for the US attorney’s office confirmed.
Mr Ho, Hong Kong’s home secretary from 2002 to 2007, was arrested in the US last year on charges of attempting to bribe officials in Chad and Uganda to win favourable treatment for CEFC China Energy, a Chinese conglomerate that funded a non-governmental organisation he headed.