André Tarallo
André Tarallo | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1927 Centuri, Haute-Corse, France |
| Died | 2018-04-24 Paris, France |
| Occupation | Oil executive |
| Known for | Oversaw African operations for Elf Aquitaine; involvement in Elf corruption scandal |
André Tarallo (born 1927 in Centuri, Haute-Corse – passed away 24 April 2018 in Paris), often referred to as Monsieur Africa, was a prominent French executive who oversaw African operations for the oil corporation Elf Aquitaine from the late 1970s until his arrest in the 1990s on charges of embezzlement.
Early life
The son of a tax official, Tarallo pursued his education at the prestigious École nationale d'administration.
Career
Over a span of thirty years, Tarallo directed Elf’s activities across Africa, establishing a network predominantly composed of Corsican managers. His adeptness in negotiations rendered him indispensable to Elf’s interests. In 1989, CEO Loïk Le Floch-Prigent, who was later implicated in the Elf corruption scandal, attempted unsuccessfully to compel Tarallo’s retirement. Despite this, Tarallo maintained key leadership positions including Chairman roles at Elf-Congo, Elf-Gabon, and Elf Trading, the company’s financial branch headquartered in Geneva.
His considerable sway within the company and continent earned him monikers such as "Corsican Uncle" and "Mister Africa."
Legal troubles
In 1997, Tarallo was briefly detained amid investigations into Elf Aquitaine. Further inquiries uncovered financial misconduct, highlighted by a 1999 Swiss investigation that revealed his use of Elf’s bank accounts to facilitate bribes directed at various African governments, including those of Angola, Cameroon, the Republic of Congo, and Gabon.
Authorities discovered that Tarallo held numerous bank accounts under aliases like Tomato, Salad, Langouste, Colette (named after his wife), and Centuri in offshore jurisdictions such as Panama, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. Prosecutors accused him of misappropriating at least $50 million. During his trial in 2000, he acknowledged the existence of a slush fund.
In November 2013, Tarallo was found guilty of misusing funds and received a prison sentence of four years along with a €2 million fine. He contended that bribery was not an abuse of funds but rather a necessary means to secure contracts for Elf. Less than two months later, he was released on medical grounds and underwent urgent heart surgery. Subsequently, in October 2004, his sentence was increased on appeal to seven years' imprisonment.
Death
André Tarallo passed away on 24 April 2018 in Paris.