PUBLISHED: 11:54 EST, 26 April 2013 | UPDATED: 11:54 EST, 26 April 2013
President Obama’s top pick for ambassador to France was never offered the job because of his possible ties to an alleged Russian money-laundering ring, the New York Post is reporting.
Obama had privately notified Manhattan hedge fund manager Marc Lasry in mid-March that he would be the new ambassador, according to statements made Lasry’s close friend, former President Bill Clinton, at a fundraiser.
But in an unexplained turn of events, the move was never finalized – even though Lasry’s company, Avenue Capital, had already announced a new CEO to replace him.
Sources are now telling the New York Post that Lasry withdrew his name from consideration on Tuesday because of his ties with Illya Trincher, a 27-year-old who was charged last week with running an international gambling scheme that allegedly laundered tens of millions of dollars through a Carlyle hotel art gallery.
Trincher, the son of professional poker player Vadim Trincher, is among more than 30 others who have been charged in the scheme. The charges include racketeering, extortion, money laundering and illegal gambling, including threats of violence to make sure customers paid their debts.
More…
- Billionaire’s son and Hollywood poker madam face court along with 32 others accused of running illegal gambling ring for wealthy celebrities and executives
- Shocking US government leaflet tells Mexican immigrants they can collect food stamp benefits without admitting they’re in the country illegally
- Kathie Lee collected hundreds of signatures for newspaper ad DEFENDING Matt Lauer after Ann Curry media debacle… but he asked her not to run it
The scheme, which the FBI has been investigating for years, stretched from New York to Los Angeles, Miami, Kiev, Ukraine and Cyprus.
MailOnline reached out to Lasry and Avenue Capital for comment but they have not responded.
The Post confronted Lasry about the allegations outside his Upper East Side home and he said ‘no comment.’
A spokesman for Avenue Capital also told the Post, ‘Marc withdrew because it was becoming difficult to receive a waiver of the “key man” provision from Avenue Capital’s investors, and he would have had to divest himself of his Avenue Capital business holdings.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2315360/Marc-Lasry-Obamas-pick-ambassador-France-turned-job-ties-100-million-illegal-poker-money-laundering-ring.html#ixzz2RgV9EUM3 Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook