Singapore says helping French with Olympic payment probe

[SINGAPORE] Singapore's anti-corruption agency said Friday it was helping French authorities investigating possible fraud in Japan's Olympic bid after a company based in the city-state was linked to alleged irregularities.

French investigators have said they suspect that US$2 million paid to Papa Missata Diack, son of disgraced athletics supremo Lamine Diack, was aimed at getting support for Tokyo's 2020 Olympics bid.

They said two payments were made in 2013 to an account held by Black Tidings, a Singapore-based company linked to Papa Diack.

Diack junior was employed by the International Association of Athletics Federations as a marketing consultant.

"The Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) is working with the French authorities on this case," CPIB said in an emailed response to AFP queries.

"As investigation is still ongoing, we will not be able to comment further." Singapore's CPIB is a government agency that investigates and prosecutes corruption in the public and private sectors.

A business profile of Black Tidings lodged with Singapore's Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority shows the company as a sole proprietorship registered in 2006.

It listed its main activities as adverstising, business and management as well as marketing consultancy services.

However, the company's registration lapsed last year.

The company's registered address was a fourth-floor apartment in an old government-built housing estate located in a suburban working class district, an AFP reporter discovered Friday.

The reporter knocked on the door but no one opened it despite the television being turned on and voices being heard from inside.

Japan on Friday said it would question Tokyo 2020 Olympic officials following the French probe.

The International Olympic Committee chose Tokyo over Istanbul and Madrid as host for the 2020 Games in 2013.

AFP