Lockheed/Bribery scandals
"1950s" contains an extrinsic dash or other characters that are invalid for a date interpretation.
| Date | 1950s - 1970s |
|---|---|
| Interest of | Hermann Abs, Franz Josef Strauß |
Netherlands
Prince Bernhard received a $1.1 million bribe from Lockheed to ensure the Lockheed F-104 would win out over the Mirage 5 for the purchase contract. The commotion lead to his resignation as Bilderberg Steering committee Chairman and to the only ever cancellation of a Bilderberg meeting.
Dutch Prime Minister Joop den Uyl ordered an inquiry into the affair, while Prince Bernhard refused to answer reporters' questions, stating: "I am above such things".[1] The results of the inquiry led to a constitutional crisis in which Queen Juliana threatened to abdicate if Bernhard was prosecuted. Bernhard was spared, but had to step down from several public positions and was forbidden to wear his military uniforms again.
Prince Bernhard always denied the charges, but two days after his death on December 1, 2004, interviews were published showing that he admitted taking the money. He said: "I have accepted that the word Lockheed will be carved on my tombstone."[2]
Saudi Arabia
Between 1970 and 1975, Lockheed paid Saudi arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi $106 million in commissions. His commissions started at 2.5% + and eventually rose to as much as 15%.
Bilderberg cancellation
Publicity associated with the scandals meant that the 1976 Bilderberg meeting was cancelled. The next Bilderberg meeting was the 1977 Bilderberg.
References
- ↑ Times article December 4, 2004
- ↑ Times article December 3, 2004
