Could Prokhorov Be Working With Mugabe...?

And if it's the case, is it legal...???

New Jersey congressman Bill Pascrell is asking Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner to investigate a possible relationship between a Prokhorov company, Onexim, and the Mugabe government.

It is a violation of federal law for American citizens and companies or their subsidiaries to do business with Mugabe. No provision has been made with American companies who do business with international entities that effect Zimbabwe. And a current "power sharing" agreement between both parties within the country could easily deflect the logic of Pascrell's argument. Pascrell has also stated he is against any move of the Nets to Brooklyn- regardless as to who is the owner.

"This is disgusting," Pascrell told the New York Post. "Obviously, the Board of Governors of the NBA didn’t do their job properly when they vetted this deal."

Here's part of an interview Mugabe had with Christiane Amanpour in front of the G20 Summit and the United Nations as a backgrounder on the President...
((HT: CNN International))


Dave D'Alessandro of the Newark Star-Ledger writes that in a letter to Treasury Secretary Geithner, Pascrell said Prokhorov’s investment bank, Renaissance Capital, recently sponsored a summit in Zimbabwe on behalf of the government- a violation of US sanctions.

Pascrell has also requested that Geithner "investigate all of Mr. Prokhorov’s business dealings in Zimbabwe..."

The New York Post also reports that Prokhorov’s dealings with Zimbabwe never came up during the NBA’s vetting process.

League spokesman Mike Bass issued a statement that says that Prokhorov “went through a very extensive and stringent vetting process. The background and financial investigations have been completed and there was nothing that was disclosed that would cause us not to move forward with his application for Nets ownership.”

Which can be translated to say, "What does that idea of yours have to do with anything 'basketball...?'"

The HQ wonders if Pascrell is in an election year...???

So, here's Prokhorov's interview with Steve Kroft from "60 Minutes..." as a reminder of what the NBA may be getting themselves into...
((HT: CBS))