NEW YORK — John Ashe, a former United Nations General Assembly president accused by U.S. prosecutors of taking $1.3 million in bribes from Chinese businessmen, has died at age 61, his lawyer said today.
The death of Ashe, a former U.N. ambassador from Antigua and Barbuda who served as General Assembly president from 2013 to 2014 and was arrested in October on federal charges, was confirmed by his lawyer, Jeremy Schneider.
Asked if his client had died from a heart attack as reported in the Antigua Observer newspaper, Schneider said that was his understanding. But he later clarified that he did know the cause of death.
Ashe’s death marked a surprising turn in the corruption case, in which seven people have been charged to date. He had been in plea talks as recently as last month as prosecutors considered bringing further charges.
Prosecutors said Ashe received more than $500,000 in bribes from billionaire Macau real estate developer Ng Lap Seng to seek U.N. support of a United Nations-sponsored conference centre in Macau that Ng’s company would develop.
Those bribes were paid through intermediaries that included Francis Lorenzo, a suspended deputy U.N. ambassador from the Dominican Republic, and Jeff Yin, Ng’s assistant, prosecutors said.
Lorenzo pleaded guilty in March. Ng and Yin have pleaded not guilty.
Prosecutors said Ashe also received more than $800,000 from Chinese businessmen to support their interests within the United Nations and Antigua.
Those bribes were arranged through Sheri Yan, who was the Global Sustainability Foundation’s chief executive, and Heidi Hong Piao, the non-governmental organization’s finance director, prosecutors said. Both women pleaded guilty in January.
