Benjamin R. Pollner

Benjamin R. Pollner is a British-born oil executive affiliated with Geneva-based Taurus Petroleum and the Christchurch-based Taurus Group.

Pollner has been identified a member of an elite circle of energy traders associated with Marc Rich, and has been linked to the United Nations oil-for-food programme in Iraq. Investigators allege that Mr. Pollner's Taurus Group funneled more than $18.9 million in kickbacks to the regime of Saddam Hussein, in the form of surcharges on oil purchases. Taurus has denied paying the surcharges.

Taurus has also been identified as one of the customers of the Republic of Congo in the Judgement EWHC 2684 [image.guardian.co.uk/sys-files/Guardian/documents/2005/12/15/KensingtonJudgmentAppro.pdf] . Although it is only incidenly mentionned in the document cited above, Taurus would be involved in oil deals with Congolese sham companies which sole purpose would be to dissimulate congolese national oil revenues from international creditors. [www.globalwitness.org/media_library_get.php/263/The%20Riddle%20of%20the%20Sphynx.doc]

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