Former TOR Managing Director Asante Berko convicted in US bribery and money laundering case

The conviction in Brooklyn followed a nine-day trial before US District Judge Diane Gujarati at the Eastern District of New York. Berko was found guilty of conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, violating the FCPA, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The case involved allegations that Berko and others conspired to pay over US$1 million in bribes to Ghanaian government officials to secure a multimillion-dollar power plant deal for Turkish energy company Aksa Enerji Uretim A.S. The US prosecution stated he used the American financial system to facilitate illicit payments.

Berko, who was an executive director at Goldman Sachs during the 2014-2015 period when the power plant deal was developed, was extradited to the United States in July 2024 after his arrest in November 2022. He has been remanded in custody, with sentencing scheduled for November 10.