‘Bribe, Inc’ Director on Why the Global Corruption Doc Is the ‘Jeffrey Epstein Story for Bribery’ (EXCLUSIVE)

As a dedicated cinema enthusiast with a deep appreciation for investigative journalism and uncovering hidden truths, the upcoming documentary “Bribe, Inc” has piqued my interest in a major way. The story of Figaro, the courageous whistleblower who risked everything to expose corruption at Monaco-based company Unaoil, is one that resonates deeply with me.


In the forthcoming documentary “Bribe, Inc,” one character making headlines is a whistleblower, aptly nicknamed Figaro. He chose to reach out to journalists through an advertisement published in Le Figaro, a well-known French newspaper.

To protect his anonymity and ensure his safety, the filmmakers took extensive measures while featuring this whistleblower on camera. He appeared in a silhouette with an altered voice to conceal his identity. However, due to the gravity of the information he was sharing and the potential risks involved, the production team took additional precautions. They not only obscured his already silhouetted image by blurring it, but also kept his interviews separate from other media outlets. Moreover, instead of digitally manipulating his voice, they enlisted someone else to read out his statements verbatim for added security. For an intriguing twist and a nod to popular television dramas, the voice used was that of William B. Davis, famously known as the “smoking man” from “The X-Files.”

Peter Klein, a renowned Emmy-winning documentarian and investigative reporter, leads the film “Bribe, Inc.” The production begins by focusing on Nick Mckenzie, an accomplished Australian journalist. With assistance from Figaro and a large cache of emails, Mckenzie exposed the corrupt activities of Unaoil, a Monaco-based company under the control of the Ahsani family. Unaoil had been functioning as intermediaries for major multinational corporations, facilitating bribes on their behalf to secure massive government contracts in oil-rich nations. The initial reports of Unaoil’s bribery on behalf of Leighton, an Australian corporation, in Iraq soon unraveled into a much larger scandal. The investigation’s reach extended to numerous other countries and well-known conglomerates, potentially causing significant international ramifications.

I came across Klein’s description of the corrupt core of “Bribe, Inc” being likened to the “Jeffrey Epstein story for bribery,” with numerous individuals involved and many who were keen to keep their involvement hidden. It wasn’t an easy task for Klein to shed light on this complex situation.

The movie explores much more than the initial investigation. It’s the first time whistleblower Figaro has come forward in public. Similarly, Tom Martin, a former U.K. Serious Fraud Office prosecutor who was wrongfully terminated following his pursuit of Unaoil (involving questionable actions from the U.S. Department of Justice), makes his first public appearance in this film. The movie also discloses that one of the Ahsani family members, upon being apprehended by law enforcement, was granted a solitary phone call which they used to contact an FBI agent.

But there were many people who simply refused to be involved.

“Klein has a great deal of experience with investigative journalism, yet he’s never encountered such opposition from almost everyone involved in his latest piece,” he shared. “The only people who agreed to be part of the film are the honorable ones.”

Despite Klein’s persistent attempts, none of Unaoil’s ex-employees or members of the Ahsani family were willing to go on the record with their information. This was not surprising, but even the Serious Fraud Office, which had been actively investigating the Ahsanis, declined to comment, as did the Department of Justice and the FBI.

“According to Klein, who has previously spoken with FBI agents and Department of Justice personnel about more contentious and high-profile cases involving national security, it’s inconceivable that they wouldn’t grant access for this story. He alleges they used the ongoing nature of the case as an excuse. Furthermore, individuals associated with the Ahsanis reached out to Klein attempting to sway him against the story or propose alternative angles, similar to experiences faced by previous investigative journalists.”

In spite of opposition, the disclosures in “Bribe, Inc” by Klein, who is currently seeking a spot for it in fall film festivals, remain shocking. However, he believes that he has merely touched the tip of the iceberg when it comes to uncovering the true extent of the global bribery scandal.

He expresses the belief that many influential individuals involved in these wrongdoings have yet to be brought to light. We might continue investigating for more revelations, potentially leading to a sequel.

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2024-07-24 12:16