It storms around UFF internationally

Dagens Nyheter/December 3, 2002

Denmark

The trial against Amdi Petersen and seven other members of the Teachers Group is expected to start in February, 2003. The prosecution includes tax fraud and swindle of 75 millions DKK from a fund. The prosecutor calls for twelve years' imprisonment for Amdi Petersen and two other persons. He refers to the paragraph stating "especially serious circumstances". The other suspected members of the Teachers Group risk between four and eight years' imprisonment. The police estimate the assets of the Teachers Group to several billions DKK.

China

A man in a top position of the Trayton group, which is among other things known for having sold furniture to Ikea, was seized by Chinese police earlier this year, suspected of tax fraud and swindle. Trayton is one of UFF's biggest commercial companies and the man in question is suspected of having sent faked invoices to and from subsidiary companies.

USA

Amdi Petersen made the mistake of hiring Robert Shapiro, the attorney known for getting the sportsman O J Simpson aquitted, and therefore ended up in the spotlight of the media. Cities all over the US withdraw their agreements of clothes collection with Planet Aid, which is the name of UFF (Humana) in English-speaking countries. The Chief Public Prosecutor of Massachusetts is investigating the connections between Planet Aid, Amdi Petersen and the Scandinavian board members of the US subdivision.

Belgium

Eight members of the Teachers Group stand prosecuted of having transferred 3 million euro from Humana (Belgian UFF) to UFF accounts in different tax havens. The trial against them starts in Brussels on December 19.

The Netherlands

The Christian democratic member of parliament Gerade Verburg in Holland demands that strong measures are to be taken against UFF. The party executive claims to have read documents proving irregularities and therefore wants to initiate an investigation of UFF. They have also been in contact with Luxembourg, Germany and Britain in order to have a joint action. Since UFF made the political agenda three municipalities have withdrawn their agreements.

Great Britain, France

In both of these countries UFF had to close down their operations already a few years ago, after the authorities had reviewed different projects in Africa and found that the projects among other things were double-funded. The British Charity Commission could produce evidence of fraud and demanded that both the aid organization and the schools for training of volonteers were closed down. However, in Britain UFF has started their operation afresh under a new name.