Jefferson Scandal Widens in Aftermath of Ghana's World Cup Success

As Ghana moves forward in World Cup play, local lawmaker William Jefferson draws further heat for his shady dealings.

Following the House's unanimous decision this week to expel veteran congressman William Jefferson from the Ways & Means Committee, the embattled lawmaker has responded to the discovery of $90,000 in marked bills discovered in his freezer.

According to government sources, the $90,000 was part of an FBI sting in order to expose the congressman's illegal dealings with investment and oil companies in Nigeria, Sao Tome, and Ghana. But according to Jefferson's recent statements, the funds were actually a donation from the nation of Ghana's Football Association earmarked to fund soccer development programs in the Greater New Orleans area.

"This is all a great misunderstanding," said Jefferson. "These funds were a gift from our brothers in Ghana, meant to establish inner-city soccer teams, so that these at-risk youths might hope to one day experience the positive benefits that professional soccer in Ghana can provide."

When questioned as to why the funds were discovered in the freezer of Jefferson's Washington, D.C. home, the congressman responded that "it has been my experience that this is how business is done in the third world. Rest assured that these funds were in the process of reaching the appropriate local officials, until Katrina hit."

Jefferson continued: "For many third world youths, international soccer is the best opportunity life affords. This was my line of thinking before last year's hurricanes, and I must say that this ideal still obtains. Regardless of the unjustified persecution I am currently enduring, I still believe that playing soccer in the African League is the best opportunity for many of our inner-city youths. Yet the Justice Department would try and block these youths from what could be their best ticket out of here."

The scandal has become even more troublesome following Ghana's victory over the U.S. on June 22, when Ghana ended the national team's hopes of qualifying for the semi-finals. When questioned as to a possible conflict in national interests, Jefferson claimed that the Ghanaian funds represented not a conflict of interests, but rather the future of investment in New Orleans. "In a city with such obvious ties to Africa, and with such similarities, and now more than ever, I might add, are we too proud to accept a hand, particularly when such a deal might enrich the lives of our most at-risk? I applaud Ghana's success, and every New Orleanian should. Ghana and New Orleans are in this together."

Nyaho-Tamakloe, the chair of the Ghana Football Association could not be reached for comment, but an aide replied to NOLAFugees.com requests for interview: "Mr. Nyaho-Tamakloe has the utmost respect for the United States, and New Orleans in particular. He has often said it reminds him distinctly of his own youth in Accra."

The funds recovered by the FBI from Jefferson's Washington home were apparently short $10,000. When asked about these missing funds, Jefferson replied "It has been my experience that there is a cost to doing business in the third world. We can learn a lot from Africa."