Angelina Jolie May Sue Former Cambodian Partner for Stealing Her Aid Money
The Associated Press
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia - An associate of Angelina Jolie has said a lawsuit may be filed on behalf of the Hollywood actress against the head of a Cambodian aid group she alleges misappropriated her donations.
"We are considering filing a lawsuit to recover the hundreds of thousands of dollars that is missing and which he was responsible for," Trevor Neilson, who is the philanthropic and political advisor for Jolie and partner Brad Pitt, told The Associated Press in New York Monday.
Neilson was referring to Mounh Sarath, director of Cambodian Vision in Development, to whom Jolie once gave funds for conservation and community development work in Cambodia.
"We have specific evidence (of) him having taken the money, and we are considering whether to file a lawsuit or press charges against him in Cambodia," he said.
Neilson was responding to Mounh Sarath's allegations that Joile had reneged on an agreement by stopping funds for his group.
Jolie has set up an independent Cambodian organization to administer a conservation project for remote northwestern areas of Cambodia, the director of the new group said Monday.
Jolie terminated the contract with Cambodian Vision in Development and the U.S. conservation group WildAid, which had co-managed the project, in December, said Stephan Bognar, executive director of the Maddox Jolie Project. The new group is named for Jolie's 5-year-old son Maddox, who was adopted from Cambodia in 2002.
The 31-year-old actress has promised up to $1.3 million over five years for the forest conservation program, which was approved by the Cambodia government in 2003.
Neilson denied the actress had broken any agreement with Mounh Sarath.
"The sad reality is that this person who made these allegations was fired because we believe (he) stole" Jolie's donations, he said. He did not elaborate or indicate when the lawsuit would be filed.
On Tuesday, Mounh Sarath denied the allegations and said he is "happily" ready to confront any legal actions from Jolie.
"I will fight any lawsuit to find out the truth and to see if they have any documented proof of the money stolen," he said.
Scenes for Jolie's 2001 movie, "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider," were filmed at Cambodia's famed Angkor Wat temple.
The Associated Press
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia - An associate of Angelina Jolie has said a lawsuit may be filed on behalf of the Hollywood actress against the head of a Cambodian aid group she alleges misappropriated her donations.
"We are considering filing a lawsuit to recover the hundreds of thousands of dollars that is missing and which he was responsible for," Trevor Neilson, who is the philanthropic and political advisor for Jolie and partner Brad Pitt, told The Associated Press in New York Monday.
Neilson was referring to Mounh Sarath, director of Cambodian Vision in Development, to whom Jolie once gave funds for conservation and community development work in Cambodia.
"We have specific evidence (of) him having taken the money, and we are considering whether to file a lawsuit or press charges against him in Cambodia," he said.
Neilson was responding to Mounh Sarath's allegations that Joile had reneged on an agreement by stopping funds for his group.
Jolie has set up an independent Cambodian organization to administer a conservation project for remote northwestern areas of Cambodia, the director of the new group said Monday.
Jolie terminated the contract with Cambodian Vision in Development and the U.S. conservation group WildAid, which had co-managed the project, in December, said Stephan Bognar, executive director of the Maddox Jolie Project. The new group is named for Jolie's 5-year-old son Maddox, who was adopted from Cambodia in 2002.
The 31-year-old actress has promised up to $1.3 million over five years for the forest conservation program, which was approved by the Cambodia government in 2003.
Neilson denied the actress had broken any agreement with Mounh Sarath.
"The sad reality is that this person who made these allegations was fired because we believe (he) stole" Jolie's donations, he said. He did not elaborate or indicate when the lawsuit would be filed.
On Tuesday, Mounh Sarath denied the allegations and said he is "happily" ready to confront any legal actions from Jolie.
"I will fight any lawsuit to find out the truth and to see if they have any documented proof of the money stolen," he said.
Scenes for Jolie's 2001 movie, "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider," were filmed at Cambodia's famed Angkor Wat temple.
10 comments:
In Mounh Sarath's mentality , corruption is a norm in Cambodia.
His job is a business opportinity as most Khmer officials do .
this make us Khmer in a whole look bad becasue of this mother fucker greed. Now Angelina Jolie will start to hate Cambodia. Don't trust Cambodian with Money anymore. Just like last week article where this stupid Cambodian woman stole some old lady thousand of dollar from her retirment account.
this stupid.
Tranparency and accountability, plus project cycle management (including follow up management) in humanitarian aid system may not be well-established by MJP, prior to the signature of grant agreement. Thus this led to such situation of corruption by this stupid NGOs. Such very poor peroformance in transpaency and accountablity is always happening in most of many local NGOs. Misused the fund by this NGO/Wildaid is completely unacceptable. Jolie made the right action. Nevertheless, this a big lesson learn for the JMP also for the rest of local NGO in Cambodia.
TT
We have all kind of animal which we cannot trust them anymore. They steal anything they can get and just pay to the judge to get free. They have no shame that all these monies was donnated by a woman who want to care about Cambodia. Who else want to help Cambodia if this country produce only animal like people? What kind of leadership will create the same kind of citizen.
Corruption and womanizing have been the oldest professional in KHMER civilzation. It is a form of malfunctioned RNA/
DNA strain passing from one generation to another in Khmer blood.
This incident, whether it ends up proven or not, simply highlights the huge problem of endemic corruption in Cambodia. The lesson learned is how such corruption acts to slows down the whole progress of the country towards a position of peace, stability and properity. This problem can ONLY be solved from the top by personal example and a zero tolerance to corruption in any public body role. Then everyone will benefit (even the officials if they could only see the bigger picture). AJB
Wow..every body here made some excellent points. I totally agree with you all. Cambodian people, esp. the one that think they are the "all that", must change their atittudes and look at the westerner's society how they do thing over there.
Someone has told me that Hun Sen is now 3 billions dollars man. I said where he got all these monies. They said, he sold all trees in Cambodia, lands to Vietnam, sky to airline( charge all airlines by seat), oil to american, permits to all criminals and foreign aids. Wow. He can consume so much? Where all those monies? They said in Hong Kong Bank, Singapore Bank, In Switzaland Bank and Australia in different names. They said he is a great robber in this 21 century !!!!
the viet make us look bad, reform the plice force so every one can be act ass free man or we have to suvive the way Viet want us to be dog eat dog!
Mounh Sarath... screams about corruption problems and democracy in cambodia everyday... this guy is a complete slime ball... and people still support him... CHECK HIS RECORDS PLEASE!!! tho not convicted or go on to court but where there is smokes there are fires... in my own opinion I think a Hollywood star with a reputation won't accuse anyone publicly if the evidence is not sufficient.
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