Jill Kelley tried to turn Korean consul gig into cash

by Robert Koehler on November 21, 2012

A New York businessman says Tampa, Florida, socialite Jill Kelley asked him for an $80 million commission if she used her influence to win a South Korean business contract.

Kelley, who triggered an FBI investigation that led to the resignation of CIA Director David Petraeus, claimed she was a high-level representative of the South Korean government, says the businessman, Adam Victor.

In reality, according to the South Korean Foreign Ministry, Kelley holds a simple honorary title — “special consul” — which boasts no official responsibilities.

With the prospect of a commission on a $4 billion deal to provide natural gas, Kelley “tried to sell herself as something she was not,” Victor, president of TransGas Development Systems, told CNN. “I told her she was crazy.”

And just to let us know that things have truly hit rock bottom, Jill’s twin sister has hired Gloria Allred.

PS: Does anyone else find it somewhat disquieting that not even the director of the CIA has Fourth Amendment rights?

Tagged as: Jill Kelley

{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Brendon Carr November 21, 2012 at 1:22 pm: This is a real story for sure, one that passed unremarked in the comments here at the Marmot’s Hole four days ago. It merits more examination.
2 hamel November 21, 2012 at 2:03 pm: Interestingly, in another Korean Konnection, Paula Broadwell was stationed in Korea (probably on Yongsan Garrison) in the late 1990s (’96, ’97, ’98 or ’99).

To really complete the circle, did Petraeus ever serve in Korea?
3 R. Elgin November 21, 2012 at 2:31 pm: You are right Brendon but who will pursue this line of inquiry?
4 Sperwer November 21, 2012 at 2:57 pm: Yawn. People trying to peddle non-existent influnce. Sounds like your average Amcham Korea committee mtg writ large.
5 dogbertt November 21, 2012 at 3:02 pm: @4: LOL
6 Todd M November 21, 2012 at 3:13 pm: The defence department’s budget is crazy, equal to the next 14 biggest military spending countries combined. The excessive spending in the system creates waste and breeds rot. And where there’s rot, there are vultures circling overhead, or perhaps driving around post with vanity plates. Did Mrs. Kelly really believe she could influence this deal? If so, how exactly? How credible is Adam Victor? If proven true that Kelly could financially benefit (or perhaps already has) from her ties to Betrayus, then this story may be the tip of a much bigger dirty iceberg. Think of the billions and billions in non-bid contracts given out by the general.
7 jkitchstk November 21, 2012 at 5:08 pm: # 6,
600 Billion dollars wasted in a + decade year war.

25 million dollars to provide Afghanistan National Army with firewood while NW Afghan is covered in forest.

800 thousand dollar storage units/shipping containers used on bases/outposts usually cost about 2-3 thousand but the U.S. often rents them for 6-7 thousand per month in Afghanistan x 10 years = Many 800 thousand dollar storage units/shipping containers.

One Senior commander asked “What are we(USA) doing here?” while having a finger on the trigger of his gun when he trains the Afghan soldiers.
8 dokdoforever November 21, 2012 at 8:14 pm: I was listening to some policy wonks discuss the scandal on the Diane Rehm show. They were dismayed at Petrayus’ resignation – basically they thought that the affair was a private matter and we should leave him alone.

The problem with that logic is that knowledge of an affair is a great way to compromise someone. He’s the head of the CIA, setting up a gmail account to communicate with Broadwell. If the FBI can easily hack into the account – no doubt foreign intelligence could too. What a great way to get leverage over the CIA – threaten Petrayus with exposure of his affair. The guy is really irresponsible.
9 Anonymous_Joe November 21, 2012 at 9:05 pm: If the FBI can easily hack into the account – no doubt foreign intelligence could too. What a great way to get leverage over the CIA – threaten Petrayus with exposure of his affair. The guy is really irresponsible.

If you read RJ’s link in his post about the CIA director and fourth amendment rights, you will see that the FBI did not hack into Petrayus’s gmail account.

I agree with you about the irresponsibility and poor judgment he showed in opening himself up to blackmail. The problem is that Americans do care about such private behavior in its public servants and hold elected officials responsible for such. Americans could simply administratively change policy to making private lives private, and that would solve the public problem. The U.S. military’s policy of not allowing gays to serve in the military because gays could be subject to blackmail since the military made criminal for gays to serve in the military was viciously circular. A simple policy change made it all candy canes and gum drops.

In his private life, he still would be subject to blackmail with blackmailers threatening to tell his wife. After all, Americans aren’t the French, and I don’t see Americans changing their culture so that a man’s wife and mistress stand together at his casket, ala Francois Mitterrand.

In the here and now reality, the point is moot. The rules are no secret, he knew the rules, and he broke the rules.

***********************
(…and all for the one time (THE ONE TIME!) in 37 years of marriage. The guy who went on to become the country’s top spy really sucks at undercover operations.)
10 StKY November 23, 2012 at 9:11 am: Regarding your PS, Mr. Marmot-
https://azizonomics.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/534545_516000325077617_1562363595_n.png

I find this cartoon to tell us more about where we’re a in the USA these days than any “talking head” show can.