Spain to extradite former UN official accused of accepting millions in bribes

MADRID (AP) — Spain will extradite to the United States the former executive director of a United Nations office who is accused of accepting bribes in exchange for diverting nearly $60 million in grants to companies linked to a British businessman, the National High Court announced Tuesday.

Ukrainian Vitaly Vanshelboim, former director of the U.N. Office for Project Services, or UNOPS, was arrested in March in Alicante on an international warrant issued by the U.S., the host country for U.N. headquarters.

Last October, a U.N. tribunal ordered him to repay the U.N. $58.8 million lost in deals regarding renewable energy, sustainable housing and oceans that he made with businessman David Kendrick, who allegedly gave him interest-free loans, a Mercedes for his wife and benefits for his children in exchange.

The U.N. tribunal said evidence showed that Vanshelboim’s misconduct caused “massive financial losses” to UNOPS, which provides infrastructure, procurement and project management services. It estimated the benefits he received in the exchange were worth over $3 million.

The Spanish judges in their ruling said Vanshelboim will be extradited on three of the six charges against him there: soliciting and receiving bribes as a member of an organization that receives federal funds, wire fraud through honest services, and money laundering.

The high court said Vanshelboim maintained a “corrupt relationship” with Kendrick from at least September 2015 until around August 2023.

Vanshelboim’s lawyers have three days to appeal the extradition ruling.

Vanshelboim, who began working for the U.N. in 1992, was fired in January 2023 following an internal investigation.