Cash for Honours Scandal

[julieca]

So what do we all think about this?

"On a November afternoon in 2016, the Prince of Wales arrived at Buckingham Palace dressed in his gold and black military uniform to conduct an investiture — the bestowing of an honour on behalf of the Queen. Such ceremonies are familiar to both the royals and the public. Up to 60 recipients are usually invited to either the palace ballroom or a room at Windsor Castle, and are called forwards one by one by the lord chamberlain. The Queen, or another member of the royal family representing her, then places the decoration on the person and briefly congratulates them.

This investiture, however, was to be very different. Prince Charles headed not to the ballroom but to Buckingham Palace’s Blue Drawing Room, a stunning hall of hanging chandeliers and gold-rimmed furniture into which members of the public are rarely admitted. Only one person was to receive an award in the resplendent room — which historically has been used by the Queen to welcome world leaders, including Barack Obama, Justin Trudeau and Narendra Modi.

That recipient was Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz, a Saudi billionaire, whose honour had been fixed for him by Charles’s closest aides after he promised millions of pounds in donations to the charity that funds two of the prince’s most cherished estates, Dumfries House and the Castle of Mey.

Last week, Scotland Yard’s special inquiry team sent a formal letter requesting correspondence between royal aides who plotted to secure the honour, to examine whether the fixing of the CBE could breach the 1925 Honours (Prevention of Abuse) Act, which carries a two-year prison sentence.

Unlike many investiture ceremonies that take place throughout the year, the one for Mahfouz would never appear in the court circular. Nor was Mahfouz required to share his moment with a queue of dozens of other members of the public. He was allowed to bring several members of his family into the palace with him, where they met Charles’s wife, the Duchess of Cornwall. The only others present were a number of ceremonial officials and a photographer. His fixer, who had colluded with royal aides to organise the honour, was asked to wait outside in the nearby music room.

Mahfouz, 51, was beaming: he had spent years seeking recognition for himself and his family. In Charles, he had found the perfect partner: royal aides had earlier told his representatives that, in return for millions of pounds in donations to the prince’s country estate, they would get him an honour.

For weeks, Clarence House has insisted that Charles had no knowledge of the “cash-for-honours deal” that has led to a Metropolitan Police initial investigation, inquiries by English and Scottish regulators, and the resignation of his top aide, Michael Fawcett. But details of the investiture, and further evidence published today, pose new questions as to what Charles knew when and suggest he will be a vital witness to Scotland Yard. The Sunday Times can reveal that Charles had far more contact with Mahfouz than first thought

As well as the private investiture, Prince Charles took part in numerous private meetings with Mahfouz, wrote him a letter and even sent the Saudi a gift. All this took place while Fawcett, his right-hand man and close confidante, fixed Mahfouz a CBE in the background."

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/a-thank-you-letter-and-gift-from-prince-charles-for-the-saudi-billionaire-in-cash-for-honours-cbe-scandal-zl53zkxxq

You didn’t let me down @Julieca

Sniffs around the edges.

Yes. Stinks of a nasty combination of privilege and dirty money.

Not surprised at all

@StormzyinaTCup well I am committed apparently now to posting a story till Christmas.

Interesting that the investiture never appeared in the Court Circular. Seems like someone knew it had to be hidden.

It is almost as much of a scandal as the Investor Visa which allows any chancer to bypass normal immigration waiting times and applications if they have minimum of £2m to invest in the UK. I suppose this is just the next tier up. Reminds me of the system they had in medieval times when you could buy indulgences to shorten your time in purgatory,

@viques yes it is similar to buying indulgences.
The RF PR has managed to keep this story relatively low profile. I guess it helps that so much is happening in the country at the moment.

Yes, very murky

The golden visa makes more financial sense for the country though.

Most of the people who have over £2M lying around to invest, usually have a lot more money to invest and spend. They won't be draining our coffers. They tend to pay top drawer for everything. They usually arrive first class, go on shopping sprees, dine in fine restaurants, even if sick, they will use private medical. All in all, they tend to contribute to the economy, that is why a lot of countries have them.

Not sure what much more honours do other than make the receiver richer as they do their trade with that mark and up their CVs and make themselves richer through connections.

@rubicscubicle

The golden visa makes more financial sense for the country though.

Most of the people who have over £2M lying around to invest, usually have a lot more money to invest and spend. They won't be draining our coffers. They tend to pay top drawer for everything. They usually arrive first class, go on shopping sprees, dine in fine restaurants, even if sick, they will use private medical. All in all, they tend to contribute to the economy, that is why a lot of countries have them.

Not sure what much more honours do other than make the receiver richer as they do their trade with that mark and up their CVs and make themselves richer through connections.

And how have they “earned “ that money? So many ways to end up with a couple of million you don’t have a use for and a desire to live in a reasonably uncorrupt country where you your children and your trophy wife are less likely to be kidnapped. Arms deals, finances stolen from their own country, blood diamonds, human trafficking, drugs czars, online illegal gambling , extortion. Those stories of people turning up with suitcases of untraceable cash are real, only a few weeks ago Nat West was fined for accepting £700,000 in cash brought to the branch in a bin bag! Bad enough we have home grown cash rich villains without taking in the worlds thugs too.

Disclaimer, not all people applying for this visa are criminals looking for a safe haven.

Glad you put in a disclaimer.

But everything else is about due process. So the scandal with Natwest was about them deliberately or not, not doing their job properly. That is why for everyone there are checks about where you get your money from if you are buying property etc. The process itself has rules and checks, if they do not get checked it's the people processing, not necessarily the programme itself.
TBH, I don't know the UK to have the reputation of a criminal haven. I live in central London, and from what I know there are loads of people with their own legit businesses. I assume there will always be some who get through the system if it's not rigorous enough - I remember local parents making a fuss when one is found out at the local prep.