CHEVRON CORPORATION

On October 26, 2015, we filed a lawsuit against Chevron Corporation in US District Court for the Northern District of California alleging Chevron’s funding and complicity in 22 suicide bombing attacks in Israel during 2000-2002.

Between July 2000 and December 2002, Chevron illegally purchased over 78 million barrels of Iraqi oil and paid approximately $20 million in illegal kickbacks which went into a “slush” fund controlled by Saddam Hussein. During this period, Saddam Hussein established a major funding operation incite, induce and contract mass murderers to commit suicide bombings in Israel, targeting Israeli and American civilians. The mass murder contract scheme was publicly revealed in hundreds of newspaper and electronic media reports across America and throughout the world. According to Congressional Reports and as stated in hearing before the Senate and House, monies from these accounts were used to compensate the families of suicide bombers.

Chevron made these payments with the specific knowledge that they were illegal under both US Federal law and international law, as well as in contravention of the conditions of the UN Oil for Food Program (OFP). Chevron also knew that the reason for sanctions against the Saddam regime was to restrict Saddam’s access to U.S. dollars because he was known to use such dollars to finance terrorism.

In 2007 the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filed suit against Chevron for its payment of illegal surcharges (kickbacks) to Iraq in violation of the OFP. The resulting non-prosecution agreement included an admission by Chevron that it had paid approximately $20 million in illegal surcharges.

Saddam Hussein used the illegal payments made by Chevron to fund terrorist activities. Our research team was able to trace the illegal money laundering operation from California, via front companies and secret accounts in Switzerland, Cyprus, Turkey, Belarus, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, to the families of 22 suicide bombers. Our lawsuit seeks compensation for the victims of these 22 violent terrorist attacks inflicting death, disfigurement, and lasting psychological trauma. These terrorist acts were enabled by the substantial assistance Chevron provided to Saddam Hussein in the form of illegal kickbacks.

Chevron knowingly, or with conscious disregard, provided money that was used to fund acts of terrorism and is therefore liable under the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1990, 18 U.S.C. § 2333 and/or the Alien Tort Statute, 28 U.S.C. § 1350, by virtue of its material financial support to a notorious sponsor of international terrorism.

This complaint against Chevron was filed in late October 2015. On December 22, 2015, Chevron filed its motion to dismiss. Oral argument was held before Hon. Judge James Donato on March 9, 2016.