# Halliburton falls for the Nigerian scam! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 9, 2003, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halliburton-falls-for-the-nigerian-scam/174150 "2003-05-09T17:31:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halliburton-falls-for-the-nigerian-scam/174150/1 "2003-05-09T17:31:45Z")
OK, not [really](http://www.salon.com/news/wire/2003/05/09/halliburton/index.html), but damn this amused me. Wait, not amused. Disgusted. (lame rant, I know, but I’m mildly hung over) ---
**Author:** ![Esprix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprix/32/7899_2.png) [@Esprix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprix)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halliburton-falls-for-the-nigerian-scam/174150/2 "2003-05-09T18:34:48Z")
You know, I’ve gotten more of those e-mails than any other spam. Ever. So I don’t blame Cheney - anyone could be duped! 😃 Esprix ---
**Author:** ![5\_time\_champ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/278dde/32.png) [@5\_time\_champ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5_time_champ)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halliburton-falls-for-the-nigerian-scam/174150/3 "2003-05-09T18:56:03Z")
So not only does it appear that Haliburton bribed a gov’t official, but they bribed the wrong gov’t official.:smack: ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halliburton-falls-for-the-nigerian-scam/174150/4 "2003-05-09T19:02:30Z")
Halliburton found it in a routine audit, notified the SEC, fired those responsible and are continuing to work with the SEC to see how much they need to reimburse the Nigerian government. Bunch a fucking bastards. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halliburton-falls-for-the-nigerian-scam/174150/5 "2003-05-09T20:11:28Z")
Yeah, it hardly seems like this was a massive conspiratorial cover-up. Haliburton put it on their own SEC filings apparently of their own volition. It doesn’t seem likely they would do that if the bigwigs were in on the scheme from the beginning. ---
**Author:** ![Ben\_Hicks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bbce88/32.png) [@Ben\_Hicks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ben_Hicks)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halliburton-falls-for-the-nigerian-scam/174150/6 "2003-05-09T23:10:47Z")
Y’know, I’d expect these sort of low down shenanigans from Enron but _Halliburton???_ For _shame!_ ☹ ---
**Author:** ![5\_time\_champ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/278dde/32.png) [@5\_time\_champ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5_time_champ)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halliburton-falls-for-the-nigerian-scam/174150/7 "2003-05-10T01:12:17Z")
You really have to be impressed how Haliburton empowers it’s employees. Why even a manager trainee is capable of making bribes, at least up to $2.4 miilion. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halliburton-falls-for-the-nigerian-scam/174150/8 "2003-05-10T12:29:47Z")
Piffle. Chump change for Haliburton. ---
**Author:** ![PhiloVance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e19adc/32.png) [@PhiloVance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhiloVance)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halliburton-falls-for-the-nigerian-scam/174150/9 "2003-05-10T17:35:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by 5 time champ \* > \*\*So not only does it appear that Haliburton bribed a gov’t official, but they bribed the wrong gov’t official.:smack: \*\* Dude you musta read a different link. 😕 😕 😕 Meanwhile, **friedo** and **lieu** seem to have read the correct link. Meanwhile, again, where is good ol’ **Diogenes** to stir up the tempest with his rantings? [passing by comment] Does look like Salon is on it’s last legs. [/passing by comment] ---
**Author:** ![Daoloth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/82dd89/32.png) [@Daoloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daoloth)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halliburton-falls-for-the-nigerian-scam/174150/10 "2003-05-10T22:21:22Z")
Halliburton is probably one of the most morally corrupt corporations currently operating in the US. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2003, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halliburton-falls-for-the-nigerian-scam/174150/11 "2003-05-11T03:23:00Z")
[Obliging **Philovance**] I have no doubt that Cheney was behind the bribery and that low level employees are taking the fall for his crimes. He should immediately be indicted and jailed. O.J. Simpson has more plausible deniability than this guy does. Take this paragraph for example: > [@](#): > > Wednesday, the Bush administration denied there was any connection between Cheney’s former role in running the company and a $76.7 million no-bid contract with the government to extinguish Iraqi oil well fires and help restart Iraq’s oil industry. Bwaahahahahahahaha That’s how utterly shit-sure they are of themselves, and that’s how stupid they think Americans are. They think they can get blithely get away with the most obvious, ludicrous lies. The worst part of it is, they’re right. There’s nothing this administration can do, no matter how utterly corrupt, illegal, self-serving, America-hating and Satanic that the political right will not delude themselves into believing is honest, patriotic and Godly. The Khmer Rouge had more restraint and humility that the Shrub White House does. [/obliging] ---
**Author:** ![owlofcreamcheese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@owlofcreamcheese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlofcreamcheese)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2003, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halliburton-falls-for-the-nigerian-scam/174150/12 "2003-05-11T03:29:03Z")
meh, haliburton put out the first set of fires from the first gulf war with no deaths underbudget and under time… maybe thats the reason they are picked, what company specificly should have gotten it? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2003, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halliburton-falls-for-the-nigerian-scam/174150/13 "2003-05-11T03:33:15Z")
> [@](#): > > what company specificly should have gotten it? Any company that the Vice-Felon doesn’t benefit from. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2003, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halliburton-falls-for-the-nigerian-scam/174150/14 "2003-05-12T13:28:06Z")
Oui oui! Schlumberger… no? Fer Pete’s sake, anybody want to take a fucking stab at Halliburton’s qualifications? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2003, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halliburton-falls-for-the-nigerian-scam/174150/15 "2003-05-12T14:03:41Z")
Their qualifications are irrelevent. The conflict of interest overrides their qualifications. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2003, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halliburton-falls-for-the-nigerian-scam/174150/16 "2003-05-12T14:28:22Z")
So no one from corporate America should ever hold political office or vice versa? That’s a pretty big chunk removed from the talent pool for either. Halliburton hired Cheney for his skills, not his name, and he did a good job and moved on. If Halliburton is best qualified for the job, they shouldn’t be chosen simply because of this past association? Cheney’s sold all his Halliburton stock and put the rest in a blind trust. What conflict of interest are people referring to? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2003, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halliburton-falls-for-the-nigerian-scam/174150/17 "2003-05-12T14:45:30Z")
Cheney still stands to gain from that stock after he and GWB get fired next year. It’s a clear conflict of interest. And no. No one with a standing corporate interest should be eligible for political office. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2003, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halliburton-falls-for-the-nigerian-scam/174150/18 "2003-05-12T15:09:30Z")
I’ve Googled but can only find reports that he sold all his Halliburton holdings prior to entering office in 2000. Does anyone have evidence to the contrary? ---
**Author:** ![scout1222](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@scout1222](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scout1222)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2003, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halliburton-falls-for-the-nigerian-scam/174150/19 "2003-05-12T15:20:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Diogenes the Cynic \* > \*\*No one with a standing corporate interest should be eligible for political office. \*\* Right. I won’t be holding my breath for _that_ to happen. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2003, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halliburton-falls-for-the-nigerian-scam/174150/20 "2003-05-12T15:41:24Z")
[Cheney gets deferred compensation from Halliburton, 2000](http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/04/20020415-7.html) [Cheney gets deferred compensation from Halliburton, 2001](http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/04/20030411-8.html) So he does have some financial interest in the continued well-being of the company, whether he owns stock or not. And I have a feeling that Halliburton would be happy to have him back after his VP-cy is done. Customarily the P and the VP put their assets in a blind trust upon assuming office. I imagine Cheney did something similar so supposedly he doesn’t know whether he owns any Halliburton stock or not. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/halliburton-falls-for-the-nigerian-scam/174150.md?page=2)