|
|||||||||||||
Printer-Friendly
Email this Story
Post a Comment (0)
Leesburg man writes tell-all on World Bank investigations
Steve Berkman spent 16 years working for the World Bank. During his last four years, the bank selected him to be a part of a fraud investigation team, which looked into the bank's finances.
According to Berkman, the results showed that corruption was everywhere, leading him to write a book about his findings.
“We are losing billions a year,” said the retired World Bank employee and new author.
Berkman, 74, of Leesburg, has spent the last three years reflecting on his time at the bank and writing about his experiences there.
His book, “The World Bank and the Gods of Lending,” he says, shows proof of corruption at the world lending agency.
About 1,600 copies of the book have been sold since its release in June.
Berkman's conservative estimate of monetary theft at the bank would be $2 billion to $3 billion a year. It is more likely, he said, that the total is from $6 billion to $8 billion annually.
To explain how the theft –mostly by government officials –affects those in need, Berkman said, “If the bank lends $25,000 to buy a vehicle so clinic workers can get around and there is another $1,000 for fuel to get the car around and that thousand is stolen by an government official, then what good is the car."
Berkman retired from the bank in 2002 after spending four years investigating the bank's spending.
“We were dealing on the one hand with the people who were doing these misdealings,” he said of his investigation. “But worse than that was dealing with the bank management [who brushed off the investigation].”
“They're still really not doing much about it,” said Berkman, adding that he hopes his book will make some advancements against corruption by informing more people.
“Officially, there has been no response [from the World Bank],” said Berkman. “But privately, I have received positive feedback from a number of former colleagues and retired staff.
“Last I heard a couple of weeks ago, it was the number two best seller at the Bank’s Infoshop [the in-house book store].”
Who should read “The World Bank and the Gods of Lending.”
Berkman said it would appeal to: “Anybody who's interested in foreign aid and the issues like Darfur ... anyone who has an interest in the development of the Third World would be interested in it.”
“The World Bank and the Gods of Lending” is available on Amazon.com and kpbooks.com for $24.95.
Contact the reporter at hhobbs@timespapers.com
You must be logged in to post a comment.