Australian News Commentary
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The Keating piggery deal
This document purportedly relates to the sale of Keating's shares in his piggery business to Indonesian businessman, William Soeryadjaya. Chris Coudonaris is Keating's solicitor. The document has been re-typed for clarity purposes. The original document follows the re-typed one. "HE" purportedly refers to "His Excellency, Prime Minister Keating".
Information as provided by Chris Coudonaris
1. "HE" is to sell the half-ownership of the Parkville and Glengallan piggeries to William Soeryadjaya for a purchase price of US$6,000,000.
2. In order to reduce tax liability and to avoid any possible political backlashes, the payment of the US$6 mil is structured in the following manner:
The first US$5 mil is to be paid in 2 allotments
- US$2.5 mil due immediately after the signing of the contract
- US$2.5 mil after the finalisation and roll-over of the bank loan with NAB
For the same reason of overcoming the current taxation regime:
The first instalment of US$2.5 mil would be divided into a direct fund transfer of US$600,000 as an acquisition payment for 50% of the paid-up ordinary shares of the company. The remaining US$1.9 mil would be treated in a way that it would look like art equity injection of the same amount to the company, whereas it would actually be channelled out of the company for the benefit of "HE". The Purchase Contract/Document was written to reflect only the acquisition payment of US$600,000 and the document would also mention the equity injection of US$1 mil. However, the remaining US$3.5 mil would not be recorded in any official document.
3. The remaining US$1 mil of the total US$6 mil price-tag would be transacted in the following arrangement: WS through JGL would transfer US$2 mil in order to reduce the company's existing loan with CBA from A$13.5 mil to A$11 mil. US$1 mil of this fund-transfer of US$2 mil is for the benefit of "HE", which would be then channelled through AC. While the additional US$1 mil would be repayable back to JGL upon the finalisation and the roll-over of the loan from CBA to NAB. It has been arranged that the loan facility with NAB would stand at A$1.2 mil ie. A$1 mil more than the existing loan of A$1.1 mil with CBA. This was arranged solely for the purpose of transferring US$1 mil back to JGL.
Up to now, WS through JGL had already put in approximately A$6 mil or US$4.5 mil (consisting of the US$2.5 mil First Instalment + the US$2 mil portion used to reduce CBA loan), the other US$2.5 mil has not yet been paid.
Apart from the above transactions, AC had taken a personal loan from BK amounting to US$750,000 (approximately A$1 mil + interests), of which AC signed a Promissory Note. At the time that the Notes fell due, AC was unable to repay this loan, and BK began legal action against AC personally, in order to recover the money and to maintain pressures on AC.
AC's defence was that he was still owed money by the Danes. In 1992 AC sold his wholesale operation to the Danes for US$3 mil and the money is still owing to AC. AC has indicated that he is willing to instruct the Danes to channel A$1 mil of the amount owed to him to repay his personal obligations to BK but BK refused. BK has stated that he wants the whole US$3 mil to be paid to Euphron, and then transferred back to JGL in order to pay-back the US$2 mil used in reducing the CBA loan, plus AC personal loan of US$750,000.

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