Asante Berko convicted in AKSA bribery scandal involving Ghanaian politicians
Asante Kwaku Berko, former Managing Director of the Tema Oil Refinery, has been convicted in the AKSA bribery scandal. He was found guilty of paying over $1 million in bribes to politicians from Ghana's National Democratic Congress and New Patriotic Party, as well as other government officials and Members of Parliament. These payments were made to secure a power deal between AKSA Energy and the Ghanaian government. Berko, an economist and investment banker with 22 years of experience, previously held executive positions at Barclays Capital/Absa Capital, Credit Suisse, Ernst & Young LLP, and Goldman Sachs International. He served as an Executive Director in the Investment Banking Division at Goldman Sachs International from July 2014 to March 2017. During this period, he conspired to make corrupt payments to Ghanaian government officials associated with the Ministry of Power to obtain business for Goldman Sachs and an unnamed Turkish energy company. The conspiracy involved over $700,000 in bribes. Berko was appointed Managing Director of TOR in 2020 by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo but resigned the same year after US authorities filed charges against him. He was extradited from the UK to the US in July 2024, pleaded not guilty, but was ultimately found guilty by a jury. In a related proceeding, the US Securities and Exchange Commission filed a complaint against Berko in April 2020, and he agreed to a consent judgment in June 2021, which included paying disgorgement of
