Sign up to The Irish Times Archive (1859 - 2008)My Account »
Tue 09 Sep 2009Saudi billionaire linked to passport deal in 1990s dies
HE WAS a billionaire Saudi banker who spent much of the last decade suing anyone who dared air allegations that he had funnelled money to al-Qaeda, but Khalid bin Mahfouz, who died last month, is best known in Ireland for the Irish passports he received, apparently over lunch at the Shelbourne Hotel, in 1990 as part of the infamous passports-for-investment scheme.
Eleven Irish passports were granted to Mahfouz, his family and friends in exchange for a promised investment of £20 million. Then minister for justice Ray Burke personally authorised the naturalisation certificates at his Co Dublin home instead of delegating the matter to a senior official as was standard practice.
Choose a Subscription type - required
