Denis O’Brien and Digicel biggest Irish donors to Clinton Foundation
Businessman and his mobile firm have donated between $10 million and $25 million
Denis O’Brien and his mobile firm Digicel are among 17 donors to donate between $10 million and $25 million. Photograph: Dara Mac Donaill
Denis O’Brien and his mobile firm Digicel are among 17 donors to donate between $10 million and $25 million. Photograph: Dara Mac Donaill
The biggest Irish donors to the Clinton Foundation are telecoms and media mogul Denis O’Brien and his mobile firm Digicel. They are among 17 donors, alongside the king of Saudi Arabia, the government of Norway and the Rockefeller Foundation, to donate between $10 million (€8.8 million) and $25 million.
The foundation discloses donations in ranges and in aggregate given during the lifetime of the charity (it was set up as the William J Clinton Foundation in 1997). Its website says donations from O’Brien/Digicel include money given between April and June of this year.
Pressure grows on Clintons to shut charity foundation
Irish Aid, the Government development agency, is listed as a grantor to the tune of $5 million to $10 million. Other Irish donors include businessman Michael Smurfit ($1 million to $5 million), the philanthropic American Ireland Fund ($500,000 to $1 million) and Belfast-born property player Paddy McKillen ($250,000 to $500,000).
Journalist-turned-PR consultant Declan Kelly, who was economic envoy to Northern Ireland for US secretary of state Hillary Clinton from 2009 to 2011, donated between $100,000 and $250,000, while Teneo – the consultancy firm he set up in 2011 with Doug Band – gave between $25,000 and $50,000.
Other donors from Ireland include food company Jacob Fruitfield Group ($50,000 to $100,000), the late Dublin property investor Patrick Rocca ($50,000 to $100,000), designer John Rocha ($10,000 to $25,000) and the late Cathal Ryan, son of Ryanair founder Tony Ryan ($10,000 to $25,000)
Not to say that this man was not wealthy before he started Digicel; however, if not for Digicel money, he would not be able to make these power moves. This is collusion all the way–Digicel, by means of the Clintons were able to gain access to the Haitian market and now they are the sole cellphone provider in Haiti.
Relative to this, the Clinton foundation can’t deny they quid pro quo/pay to play practices.