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US Recovers $53m From Illegally Awarded Contracts To Diezani, Others

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The United States Department of Justice has revealed the final resolution of two civil cases in forfeiture of the luxury assets that were laundered in and through Nigeria in a case linking former minister of petroleum resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, and her colleagues.

Diezani’s associates who were named in the forfeiture case are Kola Aluko, a Nigerian businessman, and Jide Omokore, chairman of Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts Nigeria Limited.

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The DOJ said the forfeited assets were the “proceeds of foreign corruption offences”.

In a statement released on its website on Monday, the US department of justice said that “roughly $53.1 million in cash, plus a promissory note with a principal value of $16 million” have been recovered as part of “proceeds of illicitly awarded contracts” involving the trio — Diezeani, Aluko, and Omokore.

READ ALSO: Buhari Swears In ex-IGP Solomon Arase As New PSC Chairman

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“According to court documents, from 2011 to 2015, Nigerian businessmen Kolawole Akanni Aluko and Olajide Omokore conspired with others to pay bribes to Nigeria’s former minister for petroleum resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, who oversaw Nigeria’s state-owned oil company,” the statement reads.

“In return, Alison-Madueke used her influence to steer lucrative oil contracts to companies owned by Aluko and Omokore. The proceeds of those illicitly awarded contracts totalling more than $100 million were then laundered in and through the United States and used to purchase various assets through shell companies, including luxury real estate in California and New York as well as the Galactica Star, a 65-meter superyacht.

“The real estate was also used as collateral for loans to Aluko and shell companies he controlled. As part of the forfeiture process, those lien holders were paid.”

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Diezani was the minister of petroleum resources from 2010 to 2015 during the administration of former president Goodluck Jonathan.

She left the country prior to the handover of government from Jonathan to President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015, she left the country.

The former minister is alleged to have stolen $2.5 billion from the Nigerian government while she was a minister.

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She has, however, denied the allegations, while the EFCC has since commenced a process to extradite her.

READ ALSO: US Accuses World’s Largest Crypto Platform, Binance Of Illegal Operations

The federal government had gained forfeiture of Diezani’s properties located in Banana Island Foreshore Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos, including 18 flats and six penthouses.

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Over the past few years, the trio of Diezani, Aluko, and Omokore have been facing trial over alleged fraud in the procurement of oil contracts and money laundering in Nigeria and the US.

In 2017, the US government filed a suit to recover $144 million in assets that were purportedly acquired with proceeds from a shady scheme in Nigeria’s oil industry.

Aluko and Omokore were said to have paid bribes between 2011 and 2015 to Diezani in exchange for contracts.

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Diezani reportedly used her position to secure contracts for Aluko and Omokri’s shell companies through a subsidiary of the defunct Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) — now the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited.

 

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How Thief Stole Aeroplane At Airport 22 Years After Two Men Went Away With Boeing 727

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To many, stealing an aeroplane right inside the airport with a watertight security system in place seems unbelievable, but a man in Canada stole a light aeroplane at an airport in the country, circled it around and later landed it before he was arrested by security officials.

This came 22 years after two men entered a Boeing 727 parked inside the airport in Luanda, the Angolan capital, and went away with the big aircraft.

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According to reports, the aeroplane had not been found till today and the men had evaded arrest since then.

According to the Cable News Network (CNN), the stolen Cessna 172 aircraft caused a temporary shutdown of the airspace over Vancouver International Airport, one of the busiest in Canada, on Tuesday.

READ ALSO: ‘His Security Is Not Guaranteed,’ Okpehbolo Warns Obi Not To Come To Edo Without Informing Him

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The man stole the aircraft, took off from Victoria International Airport, where it is used for flight training, and flew north about 40 miles to Vancouver.

He started circling, apparently due to his lack of expertise.

We do have an aircraft that has been stolen and is in the vicinity of the airport,” a tower controller warned other pilots.

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Just in case anything starts heading towards you, you have the ability to move at your discretion.”

The man eventually landed the plane safely at Vancouver International Airport and was immediately surrounded by police.

READ ALSO:U.S Plane Carrying 64 Passengers Collides With Army Black Hawk At Reagan Airport

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The thief, who was not identified by authorities, was the only person inside and was arrested.

A similar incident also occurred at Luanda International Airport, Angola, when two individuals successfully stole a Boeing 727 without any security official knowing about the theft until a few hours later.

The Boeing 727, once operated by American Airlines, was retired and left at Luanda airport after plans to convert it were rejected. In 2003, two men—a pilot and a mechanic—illegally boarded the plane and took off with 14,000 gallons of fuel, enough to travel 1,500 miles. The plane and the men were never found.
(TRIBUNE)

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10 Top-earning Dead Celebrities Of 2025

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The top-earning dead celebrities have changed the perception of death. Despite not being alive for years, some for many decades, they are still earning millions of dollars. This shows that a celebrity can continue to earn even while in the grave.

Contents
1. Michael Jackson ($70m)
2. Elvis Presley ($49m)
3. Charles Schulz ($42m)
4. Arnold Palmer ($30)
5. Bob Marley ($24m)
6. Dr. Seuss ($24m)
7. John Lennon ($14m)
8. Marilyn Monroe ($13m)
9. Prince ($12m)
10. Nipsey Hussle ($11m)

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The renowned figures discussed in this article are mainly musicians, cartoonists, authors, and a golfer.

Here are the top-earning dead celebrities of 2025, as listed by sociallykeeda:

1. Michael Jackson ($70m)

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Michael Jackson leads among the top-earning dead celebrities. Michael remains one of the biggest stars. During his lifetime and even after, he is widely referred to as “the king of pop.” It is a known fact that he sold millions of albums and also earned and continues to earn from his work.

READ ALSO:Top 5 Richest African Immigrants In US

He died on 25 June 2009 due to a drug overdose. His earnings are estimated to be 70 million dollars.

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2. Elvis Presley ($49m)

Elvis Presley is another music icon, known as the king of ‘Rock and Roll’. He was not just an amazing singer, but also a dancer and actor. Elvis is one of the greatest stars of the 20th century.

As such, the deceased musician still earns from his music and other projects. One of such is the Graceland and Elvis Presley Memphis entertainment complex. His earnings are estimated to be 49 million dollars. Elvis Presley died from a heart attack on 16 August 1977.

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3. Charles Schulz ($42m)

Charles Schulz is another top-earning dead celebrity. He was a creator who came up with different cartoon characters. One of his famous characters is “Snoopy,” which was used for a peanut franchise that later inspired an animated movie, “Peanuts” in 2015.

Charles Schulz can never be forgotten for his contributions to cartoons. His earnings are calculated to be 42 million dollars. He died of cancer on 12 February 2000.

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READ ALSO:Check Out World’s Richest King With 38 Private Jets, 300 Cars, 52 Golden Boats

4. Arnold Palmer ($30)

Arnold was a golf player that died on 25 September 2016 due to heart disease. He still makes money from licensing and from a drink formula he created — a lemonade and iced tea named the Arizona beverage. An alcoholic version was made after Molson Coors partnered with Arnold. His earnings are currently 30 million dollars.

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5. Bob Marley ($24m)

Bob Marley was a music icon who pioneered the Jamaican music style, “Reggae.” His uniqueness and style of music made him loved by many and also contributed to his global success.

Till today, Bob is still famous and earns from various licensing deals and companies. He died of cancer on 11 May 1981 at the age of 36. His earnings have accumulated to 24 million dollars.

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6. Dr. Seuss ($24m)

Dr. Seuss was a cartoonist during his lifetime. He still makes millions despite being dead for over three decades. He was a children’s book writer of which many kids across the world have probably read.

READ ALSO:Top 10 Richest Black People In The World

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Some of his books include The Grinch Stole Christmas, Red Fish, The Cat in a Hat, and so on. Millions of copies of his books have been sold since his demise on 24 September 1991. He died of cancer, and his earnings are currently 24 million dollars

7. John Lennon ($14m)

John Lennon was a singer, songwriter, and vocalist. He was a co-founder of one of the most respected and greatest music bands in history, “The Beatles.” Lennon earns from brands or by using his pictures on products. He died on 8 December 1980 by homicide. His earnings are estimated to be 14 million dollars.

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8. Marilyn Monroe ($13m)

Marilyn Monroe was an actress and a movie star who died over six decades ago. Monroe still earns from her deals with companies such as Chanel, Montblanc, and her estate. Her managers ensure no one uses her pictures without permission. Marilyn was just 36 years old when she died of an overdose on 5 August 1962. Her earnings are about 13 million dollars.

9. Prince ($12m)

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Prince was a musician who passed away a few years ago and still earns from his songs. Deals using his name or music are managed by his family. Prince died from an overdose on 21 April 2016. The last earnings from his works are 12 million dollars.

10. Nipsey Hussle ($11m)

After his demise on 31 March 2019, Nipsey became one of the celebrities who earned the most money. The sales of his albums have since been increasing. He died of homicide, and his last earnings were 11 million dollars.
(TRIBUNE)

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Russian Strikes Kill Six In Ukraine

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Russian drone and bomb fire killed at least six people across Ukraine’s east and south, local authorities said Friday, as Russia resists US President Donald Trump’s call to halt its invasion.

Moscow has escalated long-range aerial attacks on Ukraine’s towns and cities as well as frontline assaults and shelling over the past weeks, defying Trump’s warning it could face massive new sanctions if no peace deal is struck.

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The latest strikes killed at least three people in the Dnipropetrovsk region — an important industrial mining territory under increasing pressure from Russia’s attacks.

READ ALSO:Anxiety As Trump Gives Russia 50 Days To Make Ukraine Deal

“Administrative buildings, a shop and private houses have been damaged,” Governor Sergiy Lysak said on Telegram after a morning drone attack caused a fire to break out in the region’s Kamyanske district, where two were killed.

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A 52-year-old man was killed in another drone attack elsewhere in the region.

And in the Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions — all of which are partially occupied by Russian forces — attacks killed another three people.

Ukraine said Russia fired 35 long-range drones overnight — a relatively low number compared to the several hundred Moscow is capable of launching.

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Moscow said it shot down 73 Ukrainian drones over its territory, including 10 it said were heading for the capital, Moscow.

AFP

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