Benon Sevan Resigns from the UN

Fox News: Sevan Resigns Before Explosive Report--

NEW YORK — The former chief of the Iraqi Oil-for-Food program, Benon Sevan, resigned from the United Nations Sunday — just hours before the results of a probe are expected to accuse him of getting kickbacks from the $67 billion operation.

The Independent Inquiry Committee, appointed by the U.N. to probe allegations of corruption in the program, plans to release on Monday its third interim report on the humanitarian program.

Sevan resigned in a letter to Kofi Annan, blasting the U.N. secretary-general and accusing him "sacrificing" him for his own political gain.

"I fully understand the pressure that you are under, and that there are those who are trying to destroy your reputation as well as my own, but sacrificing me for political expediency will never appease our critics or help you or the Organization," Sevan wrote.

Sevan's lawyer said on Thursday that investigators have concluded that Sevan took kickbacks while he was overseeing the humanitarian operation and refused to cooperate with their probe.

Fox News has been all over the Oil-for-Food Scandal. Eric Shawn and Jonathan Hunt have done excellent stories.

If you click on the link, you will find the rest of the story and Sevan's lawyer's statement and account of "false allegations" made against Sevan.