A "lucky" Irish business person could receive $7 million (€6.9 million) in a deal with a former aide to the now-deceased president of Zaire, Mobuto Sese Seko. According to a document seen by The Irish Times, the unnamed Irish recipient need only furnish the aide with his or her bank account details and signature, then wait for the cash to arrive, in the latest scam letter to circulate in Irish business.

The letter, marked only for the attention of "director", is signed by a Dr George Martins, who describes himself as the one-time "personal assistant and closest aide to our former President Mobuto".

During the insurrection by the forces of Mr Laurent Kabila, Dr Martins says he was ordered by President Mobuto to go to South Africa and purchase $20 million worth of arms.

"But when it became apparent that Mobuto's regime would fall, I decided to divert this fund and deposited the treasure box containing the money with a private security company," Dr Martins explains.

Unfortunately, the money is now "threatened" in South Africa, and Dr Martins requires "a reliable and trustworthy foreigner" into whose account the cash can be transferred.

Under the proposed deal, the $20 million will be split three ways; 60 per cent ($12 million) for Dr Martins himself, 5 per cent ($1 million) for expenses, and an exceptionally generous $7 million for the Irish business person.

When contacted last night by The Irish Times and addressed in French, the language of the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire), Dr Martins replied in English: "I don't understand Spanish."